Going to be grilling some ribs at my stepdaughter’s house in a couple days. Probably going to be pre-cooking the ribs to save some time. Some guys I know like to pre-boil the ribs before grilling while others pre-bake them in the oven. Is one method preferable to the other?
They’re kinda of a pain in the ass, but there’s a recipe I’ve used a time or two from a chef named Jimmy Schmidt who cooked at the Rattlesnake Club in Denver. You braise the ribs first, then do a rub, and finish them off on the BBQ with a basting sauce. Pork baby back ribs prepared this way are fantastic. Here’s a link to the recipe for Jimmy’s Red Hot Rattlesnake Ribs:
http://article-knowledge-base.com/-rattlesnake-ribs-articleid58647.htm
If you braise your ribs, smear them with the rub, and stick 'em in the fridge for a day or two before slapping them on the BBQ to heat 'em up and give them a little char, it makes feeding a crowd quick and easy and really gives the flavor a chance to develop.
Don’t pre-boil sucks all the fat/flavor out of them.
Pre-bake.
Use dry rub, flat pan, cover with foil, bake 250degrees for 2-3 hours for back ribs, 3-4 hours for spare ribs.
Finish on the grill with your favorite bbq sauce
Teriyaki short ribs pre cook in slow cooker or simmerncause it gets the flavor in deeper and then you save that sauce to pour over the rice and ribs
Other ribs I would not boil though so tery short ribs would be my only exception
You are looking at 2-3 hours worth of cooking time no matter what you do. John hit the nail on the head with the boil sucking the fat/flavor out of the ribs. If you plan on makeing a soup…boiling is the way to go…
Baking and finishing up on the grill works good but something that you may want to think about is getting a cheap smoker:
About two weeks ago we wanted to do some ribs, we have tried numerous ways to do them and all have been lacking to an extent. I went out to Lowes and bought a smoker for $59, some charcoal, wood chips…all in all probably spent around $80 after the military discount.
I highly recommend smoking ribs. It takes about the same amount of time as the other methods. Once you have the charcoal burning, and the wood chips in…you leave it alone. No turning of the ribs, the temperature stayed aroud 250. An hour before they were served, I put the BBQ sauce (they were rubbed the night before). You don’t have to sit and monitor the grill while it is cooking as long as there are no combustables around. It is completely contained and the fire never touches the ribs.
Smoke 'em! I agree with the above.
Low and slow. Indirect heat is good. Braiding is good as it helps lock in the juices.
Boiling sucks out the flavor and I think makes them tough. I can’t think of much that’s better when boiled and certainly not meat.
I do it the opposite way. I will cook the ribs in my BBQ(smoker) for an hour or so and then put them in a 250 degree(325 if your in a real hurry) oven wrapped in foil. They only need a little time on the smoke to pick up a lot of flavor.
Understand I only do this when I am rushed and they are prepared with a rub, etc first.
I am very sorry my friend, but I must respectfully disagree. Ribs require constant monitoring.
The apparatus involved consists of fine cigars, beverages (preferably distilled rather than fermented) and firearms of high quality - spoken of in hushed and reverent tones.
Comfortable lawn chairs and shade are often mentioned as prerequisites as well.
That’s how we do it down here, anyway.
Hmmmm, sounds like an average southern weekend.
Good food,good drink, guns, and friends 
Happy Fathers day everyone !!!
S.M.
Boil or bake ribs? What is this you are talking of.
Smoker for 6 hours(3-2-1 method). You can do these ahead of time on the smoker and then re-heat in an oven(only use of an oven with ribs I approve of). If you are going to do this I would probably skip the final hour since you will probably cook them in the oven for about an hour at the end to reheat them.
You’re a Serious Student…I’m just a regular Smuck…
I shall correct my method of smoking next time…promise.
@rjacobs, I read about the 3-2-1 method, I had a time constraint so I stuck with 3 hours worth of smoking. I’ll combine Serious Students method with the 3-2-1 method next time.
Yea 3 hours of smoke and then you could foil and transfer to the oven for 2 hours. If you smoked for 3 hours and then refrigerated I would foil and oven for 2 hours and then take them out of the foil for an hour for the re-heat. Should work out pretty well. Cook at 225 in the oven for all of this.
I found this on another forum some time ago and it’s the recipe that I follow when cooking ribs.
2-6 Racks of (very meaty) Ribs
Kraft BBQ sauce (one bottle per rack)
Tabasco to taste
Grilling Tongs and Grill
Long BBQ sauce brush.
Six pack of beer on ice.
Start with the best BBR (Baby Back Ribs) you can find. Nice big racks.
Purchase Kraft BBQ sauce, I know its Kraft BBQ sauce but it’s how it’s grilled that makes it great.
Heat oven to 180 degrees, not one degree hotter!!! (Any hotter and the meat will shrivel off the bone. We want the meat to stay on the bone.)
Place racks on a cookie sheet, usually I place two racks on one cookie sheet.
Cover with BBQ sauce. (about a cup per rack) And place a tinfoil “tent” over the ribs. (We are trying to keep the moisture in the tent, and gently cook the ribs without boiling the flavor away.) And place in oven for 4-6 hours.
(Last 20 minutes get grill and cooler of beer ready. Once you place the ribs on the grill you will not be leaving the grill for about 45 minutes.)
Safety tip; When removing ribs from the oven the cookie sheet will have at least a ¼-1/2 inch of water in the bottom, carefully remove from oven and place on a flat surface.
Remove tinfoil tent. Remove ribs and place on cutting board. Cut down the middle on both sides of each bone ensuring there is meat on both sides of the bone. (Note; if you cut along the edge of the ribs the meat will fall off the bone during the grilling phase)
Place 2 bottles of Kraft BBQ sauce in a bowl and season with Tabasco to taste.
Now the fun part, place all the individual ribs in a large bowl, or on a large cutting board and grab your cooler, chair, tongs, brush and head to the grill. (If you are a clean fanatic do not try this recipe. It will make a mess of your grill.)
I use a two level propane grill, but if you use a charcoal grill you need to have a cool spot for ribs.
Open Beer and place all ribs on a med fire. Turn all ribs in same direction and coat generously with BBQ sauce (it should be dripping off the ribs). The reason for the dress right dress is knowing what ribs have been coated and what side was coated last.
Turn ribs every few minutes and coat, turn and coat, turn and coat. Get the idea? We are trying to “caramelize” the BBQ sauce onto the ribs and also give them a “slight” burn. Because we are coating so heavily the is always a chance for a flare up, if it occurs you have to move quickly and have to decide on one of two courses of action;
Option One, quickly and without delay move all the ribs from the offending flames to a cooler section of the grill.
Option two, use the beer in your left hand to quiet the flames. (I hate wasting beer so I use option one most of the time.)
(Note; If you are not a grill master DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE GRILL! Not even for a minute. If you do Murphy will know and a “flame up” will occur burning your ribs to a crisp in a matter of seconds.)
Keep turning and coating the ribs, it is a 45 minute non stop process. Ribs are done then the BBQ sauce is caramelized onto the ribs and the ribs have a slight to med slight burn.
I usually make more then necessary, they are just as good the next day!
booze, ribs, smoker, mesquite, fire, smoke = win win win
No offense Glockmaster, but YUCK. Ribs without spending a few hours on the smoke aint ribs. And BBQ with BBQ sauce is not BBQ. If the meat and rub is good and cooked right you dont need no sauce. And a 6 pack, thats all:D? I usually house down a case when running my smoker. Ive downed a handle of captain in a long day cooking as well.
Ive got a brisket I just pulled off my smoker that is resting and a pork shoulder thats due to come off in about 20 mins. I will post pics here shortly of the results. Been on since 8am.
RECIPES SVP!!!
It’s going to be a good summer with the smoker.
Different strokes for different folks. Family loves them.
Pictures kind of suck, but the meat was fantastic. Rub was a little shitty, but it wasnt my favorite rub, just some crap I was finishing up. I usually use Bad Byrons Butt Rub.
Brisket
Pulled Pork
Now that’s good eatin!
I love the burnt bits and pieces from the brisket and pork butts. It seems like they have the best flavor, and make wonderful sandwiches.
A side of good potato salad, and an ice-cold beer. I’m in heaven.