Here’s how to get those tender, juicy, delicious pork spare ribs:
This past weekend, using the indirect method of charcoal grilling/smoking using a smoker grill, I found out how to create these wonderful ribs.
Here are the key steps:
One day prior:
- Cut the ribs into sections of 4-5 bones each
- Brine the ribs 24 hours (use spices and additives** to the salt water)
(You can use a 1 gallon zipper lock bag for brining – works well)
See Brining Meat Makes a Tasty Difference
Day of grilling/smoking:
- Fill up most of one side of the smoker grill (shown in photo above) with charcoal and ignite. (I use an electrical starter loop – the taste of starter fluid never seems to completely go away)
- Locate an aluminum drip pan and leave enough space in the bottom of the grill to to place it by the coals (In a pinch, you fashion one out of aluminum foil)
- Soak wood chips in water (hickory, pecan, cherry, etc)
- Drain the brined meat and surface season the meat (salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper) – Alternately, use a dry or wet rub
- When draining the brine, drain directly into drip pan until about 2-3″ of liquid fills the pan
- Allow the majority of the charcoal to become ashen white (usually about an hour)
- Dampen down the vents after the coals are white to almost closed and check temperature
- Temperature should be below 300 degrees F.
- If not allow to burn down longer and check again until 280-300 degrees F.
- Place top grill on smoker grill – leave lid off
- When temperature is 250-300 braise the meat until it browns (10 minutes) directly on the grill turning as needed until brown
- Remove meat from grill and double foil wrap fairly tightly, but leave a few small openings to allow the smoke to seep in
- Using gloves, take top grill off and place aluminum drip pan with 2″ of leftover brine solution in it by the coals down in the grill
- Add drained, pre-soaked woods chips on top of charcoal
- Quickly place the wrapped meat in the smoker grill over the drip pan when temperature has dropped to 250-275 degrees F.
- Dampen the grill way down by closing both vents down to a crack
- Insert thermometer into crack of top vent
- Temperature should be 250-275 degrees F.
- Grill for 5-6 hours at 250-275 degrees F. (check after 4 1/2 hours on progress)
OPTIONALLY: When the meat is nearly falling apart – you be the judge
- Remove the wrapped meat to a platter
- Unwrap the ribs
- Lay down a couple layers of aluminum foil on the grill
- Unwrap ribs and place on foil
- Begin basting with your favorite sauce
NOTES:
- Try not to cook the ribs on the smoker grill over 300 degrees for any great length of time – they’ll become overcooked
- Keep thermometer in top vent to monitor
- Cooking for this longer period allows most of the fat to liquefy and leave mostly lean meat
** ADDITIVES for Brine:
- A can crushed pineapple or pineapple juice – apple juice will work too with a different flavor profile
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar or honey
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Vinegar
- Ginger
These are merely suggested ingredients, use what you have and experiment. Have fun!