# Pre-slicing Ribs Before Smoking Them



## polefalc (Aug 14, 2015)

I got Jeff's email about Pre-slicing Ribs Before Smoking Them (Rick Shaw's method) before I started to smoke some baby back ribs yesterday and decided to try that method.

Sorry no pics but the results:  awesome!

Thank you Jeff and Rick.  I'm new to smoking and all the members of my family are very picky eaters with completely different likes.  With that method I hit a home run with everyone!  I smoked up two batches.  One had Jeff's rub and sauce (mild version) and the other had a SPOG variant rub and raspberry sauce that my wife thought that she and the kids would like.

I followed Jeff's method from the email fairly closely.  I put the sliced ribs in foil pans.  I set the MES to heat to 240.  I used 50/50 mix of cherry and pecan as Jeff suggested.  I used an AMNTS.  

I cooked the sliced ribs naked for 2 hours.  I then added the rubs and continued to cook for 1 ½  hours.  I checked the ribs at 1 hour and  decided to let them braise for another ½ hour.  The meat was just pulling from the bone.

I then added more rub, the sauce, and coated the ribs again with more rub.

Since the meat was pulled about ½ inch from the bone, I lowered the temperature setting of the MES to 230.

After an hour, I checked the ribs and the meat easily pulled away from the bone so I took them out of the smoker.

Both sets of ribs came out juicy, flavorful, and tender.  They were so good.  

Even my wife, who loves raspberries, said that the ribs with Jeff's rub and sauce was much better and so did our kids.  My wife and kids said next time just make the baby back ribs with Jeff's rub and sauce.

I finally have a recipe for baby backs that everyone in my family likes.  Thanks Jeff :)

Next time I think I'll braise for 1 hour and let them cook for 1 ½ hours with the sauce. I'll also try do a better job to make sure all sides of the ribs get the rub and sauce.  I may also try some ribs without the sauce and just the rub.

Can't wait to do this again.


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## reinhard (Aug 14, 2015)

Thanks for posting that!!  I got the email also and emailed Jeff back to thank him for the post.  I have done individual pork country style ribs before but have never cut the spareribs or baby backs in that manner or method.  Will be doing it next and I'll post how it turns out.  Love trying new stuff all the time.  Reinhard


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## polefalc (Aug 14, 2015)

Thank you.  

Don't know if it makes a difference but I did have a water pan in my MES and put the ribs in pans. 

Also, next time I'll make sure that I flip each of the ribs so that each side gets rub and sauce when I add them, rather than just shake them around.

I've found that Jeff's email recipes are pretty good.  I've had success with the stuffed chicken breast  - I didn't use Jalapeños because neither my wife nor kids would eat anything with hot peppers even if I defanged them with Sprite :) so I used the raspberry sauce mixed with the cream cheese.   My wife liked it and my kids thought it was OK.  

I had much better luck with the stuffed pork chops.  My wife and I like Gouda and the stuffed pork chops are very tasty.  I added American cheese for the kids and they liked that and all said I should make them again.

I used the SPOG rub on both the chicken and the pork chops.  A couple of weeks ago, I made ribs with Jeff's rub and I got complaints that it was just too spicy, even though I used the "mild" variant.  Someone on this forum recommended using a light hand with the rub if it seems too spicy and that made all the difference.  I got some shakers and lightly dust the ribs this time.

So the next time I make either the chicken or the pork chops, I'll use Jeff's rub and sauce.


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## tumbleweed1 (Aug 14, 2015)

PoleFalc said:


> I got Jeff's email about Pre-slicing Ribs Before Smoking Them (Rick Shaw's method) before I started to smoke some baby back ribs yesterday and decided to try that method.
> 
> Sorry no pics but the results:  awesome!
> 
> ...


For the first 2 hours when the slices were in the pan unseasoned, were they just in the pan or did you have a wire rack inside to keep them up out of their own drippings?

TW


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## smokin phil (Aug 14, 2015)

PoleFalc said:


> I got Jeff's email about Pre-slicing Ribs Before Smoking Them (Rick Shaw's method) before I started to smoke some baby back ribs yesterday and decided to try that method.
> 
> Sorry no pics but the results:  awesome!
> 
> ...



Wow, can't ask for more than that! Sounds like another "home run"  from Jeff!  Got some ribs in the freezer..... Hmmmm...  :-)


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## polefalc (Aug 15, 2015)

TW,

They were in the pan for the whole smoke, no wire racks at all.  They simmered in their own juices.


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## tumbleweed1 (Aug 15, 2015)

PoleFalc said:


> TW,
> 
> They were in the pan for the whole smoke, no wire racks at all.  They simmered in their own juices.


Thanks. 

Sounds interesting.

TW


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## trekbiker61 (Aug 20, 2015)

You are 100% correct!! I've been eating ribs for over 50 years both in my native Tx and now in Tn and I've been smoking for 10 years and I have NEVER EVER had as good a ribs as those I cooked last weekend following Jeff's recipe. I have a homemade stick burner. I followed his recipe pretty much to the letter, only substituting my own sauce for his.

After the 6 hour mark I put the pans of ribs (I smoked 3 racks of St. Louis style) on the cooler end of the smoker to keep them hot while the pork ends and chicken finished on the hotter end. Those sweet tender delicious morsels of ribs just sat there getting more carmelized by the minute.  

Guys, the crowd flipped when they got a taste of the pork burnt ends and the ribs.  I have had a  lot of pats on the back for my meat but this was unbelievable.  Hands down the best ribs ever.

The next time you smoke ribs, even if you really like your old recipe (I loved my old one) give this a try. You won't be sorry.


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## fpmich (Aug 22, 2015)

Huh???

I read this thread and wondered why I didn't receive an email.  I recently (couple of weeks or so) subscribed to Jeff's email tips.

Check my email tonight and no letters.

*Then ... *I checked my Junk Mail folder and there they were!  LOL  Now I've got to figure out how to keep them in my inbox, instead of Junk Mail folder.

Gonna try this method with my next rib smoke.

I Have a Question about this method here, http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233492/why-smoke-after-foiling-any-meat


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## fpmich (Aug 30, 2015)

Well, I tried the Single Cut ribs yesterday with 2 slabs of KC style ribs.  DISASTER!

I'm not blaming Jeff or the method, or even my cooking.  It just turned out bad is all.

I think maybe it would've turned out OK with enhanced thinner ribs like Walmart has.  But I used some non-enhanced, non-tenderized, non-brined, ribs from Meijer's.  "All natural" says the label.  I believe that, because they always take longer to cook than Walmarts do.  They are also larger rib and meatier.  That could meat from older pigs, but I like them.

Usually7 to 8 hours of cooking, from putting on the smoker to taking off, does them perfectly.  That depends on whether or not I foil for 1 1/2-2 hours or not.

I expected the single cut ones to be even quicker. 

But they took 10 hours in the smoker before becoming semi-tender.  AND they dried out to the point that I have to either toss them out, or use in beans and such, chopped up small.  Jerky on a stick.  LOL

What I do like about them, is smoke flavor all around the rib. as well as the bark.

But other than smoke, mine had no rub flavor at all, even though I dusted them several times, on the grill after an hour, when foiling, when taking out of foil and placing back in smoker, and when re-warming in oven.  Just no flavor.  I seldom use sauce of any kind, but in this case it may have helped.

Next time I will rub before smoking as usual.  (I don't go heavy).  Use enhanced & thinner ribs.  Foil longer. 

I foiled for 2 1/2 hours with no pull back at all.  I think maybe if I went 3 1/2 hours in foil, they may have been okay. 

Never foiled ribs that long before.  LOL

Temps held at 225*-245* the whole time.  Mostly around the 230*-240*.

I used a full 20 lb. bag of GFS charcoal briquettes, plus a little Royal Oak Lump  to boot.  Probably 9+ bucks added to the rib slabs cost, as I did the whole cook on the smoker and didn't use my oven.  I think I will use the oven if it's cool enough to finish my smokes from now on.

Did I go wrong somewhere, or was it just one of those smokes that bums us out off and on?

I can provide detailed log if it will help.


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