How To Barbeque Ribs

Starting at the top of the diagram are the baby backs, closest to the backbone, nestled beneath the loin muscle. They are curved, round, close together, and most of the meat is on top of the bones, cut from the loin muscle.

As you move further from the spine, the bones get larger, flatter, straighter, and wider apart with more meat between them. There is more fat marbling in the meat as you go further from the spine and closer to the belly. The front ribs are connected to the breast bone with a number of small bones and cartilage known as the rib tips. There are a number of other cuts, which we will discuss later. The USDA specifies the names of some cuts, but others have evolved through common use and local misuse.

Pork ribs need long, slow, indirect heat to create a rich barbeque flavor. The following list is a summary of several important points to consider before starting to barbecue ribs.

1. Build an indirect fire by piling the coals on one side of the grill or smoker. This indirect method gives you plenty of room to place the rib slabs away from the heat.

2. Cook the ribs slowly for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, over medium heat (225° to 250°). Long, slow cooking makes for moist and tender ribs with a crisp crust. If in the first 30 minutes to an hour the ribs are browning too quickly, shut the grill vents. This will reduce the heat. You can raise the heat to 300° and cook the ribs in about 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

MMM! MMM! Can't you smell those delicious ribs and the awesome smokey flavor! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

3. Determining when pork ribs are done is a little tricky. The best method I found is to grab a full rack of ribs at the end of the rack with tongs; if the other end of the ribs falls about 75 degrees then they are done. You should also know that the meat's color is not an indication of doneness. Smoke from the coals or from burning wood chips can turn the interior of the meat pink, which in beef is not done.

4. Add any basting sauce to the ribs during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking. Adding the sauce late in the process keeps the sauce from burning.

5. You can toss in a large handful of presoaked wood chips each time you add fresh coals to the fire. Or build the fire by using a combination of charcoal and hardwood oak or hickory chunks to achieve extra smoky flavor. See "How to barbeque - Make Your Barbeque Experiences Flavorful" for more information about different wood to burn and the flavors they each provide.

According to the North American Meat Processors Association (NAMPA); one ounce of ribs has the following nutritional information:

Total calories: 108
Calories from total fat: 76
Total fat: 8.5 grams
Saturated fatty acids: 3.1 grams
Monounsaturated fatty acids: 3.8 grams
Polyunsaturated fatty acids: 0.7 grams
Cholesterol: 33 milligrams
Protein: 7.5 grams
Calcium: 13 milligrams
Iron: 0.46 milligrams
Sodium: 27 milligrams
Zinc: 1.2 milligrams
Riboflavin: 0.8 milligrams
Thiamin: 0.12 milligrams

The above information is an average of both the St. Louis cut ribs and baby back ribs because the nutritional numbers are similar.

Obviously ribs are not health food. But ribs tastes soooo good that it's impossible for me to not eat them. If you are trying to watch your weight, the best advice, like with all foods, is to eat ribs in moderation. Use ribs as a treat for yourself on the weekends and only go for the half rack.

There are two sides to a slab of ribs. The meat side and the bone side.  The bone side has a thin, silvery membrane called  the peritoneum.   This membrane prevents the flavors from the rub, the marinade, and the smoke from reaching the meat. 

Many restaurants leave it on.  In competitions, if you leave it on, you lose. It can get hard and parchment-like when cooked, so I remove it.  You should to.

Removing the membrane can be a frustrating task. Check out How to Remove the Rib Membrane