BBQ PORK RIBS - Kettle Ribs Recipe
- bbqspark
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
How do you make pork ribs using a simple kettle?
We'll show you how to make them step by step: it'll be so simple you'll never want to cook them any other way! This recipe for ribs in the kettle will allow you to tackle all your future barbecues with ease.
INGREDIENTS
whole pork ribs (St. Louis ribs)
spices to taste
PREPARATION
Let us remember that there are three cuts that can be defined as ribs , which differ according to the anatomical position of the animal.
Baby back ribs are a cut from the pig's back, specifically the first 7 cm of the ribs. They're characterized by their tenderness, small size, and curved bone. They're perfect for barbecues with a few friends.
A second cut is St. Louis ribs: they have a straight bone, uniform meat, and are suitable for large gatherings and large barbecues. They are also the most common ones found at butchers.
The third cut is found where the rib ends, near the animal's belly: the "sputture." The bone ends in a cartilaginous appendage, which sometimes makes eating the dish difficult.
Having completed this brief overview of the cuts that can be defined as ribs, let's move on to how they are prepared.
Regardless of the cut, it's essential to clean ribs properly. Meat often has excess fat, which, if left, can make the dish too heavy and cloying.
We usually remove the visible layers, more than half a centimeter.
To do this, simply roll the rib steak onto its bones and trim the fat with a sharp knife.
Next, we remove the pleura, a connective tissue that won't soften during cooking and will be uncomfortable to bite into. The pleura is located on the side bones.
To remove it there is a simple, practical and quick tool, which will allow you to obtain a guaranteed result in a short time and with very little effort: the SPLEURATORE®
Simply slide the tip of the SPLEURATORE® under the pleura in contact with the bone, then lever it up and lift the pleura, removing it in one fell swoop.
We can proceed with the spicing.
Decide how to season and flavor your ribs according to your taste. We suggest using our calculator , which will allow you to choose from a wide variety of rubs and sauces, automatically calculating the quantities of each ingredient.
We used Tuscany Rub, fresh and aromatic thanks to the fennel, rosemary and pepper, but with spicy notes given by the chili pepper.
Once the fresh rosemary has been chopped and added to the rest of the spices, we generously sprinkle the rub on the ribs, massaging gently with our hands to ensure all the aromas adhere well to the meat.
Once this operation is completed we are ready for cooking.
In our case, we'll use a charcoal kettle. Its operation is really simple because it consists of a lower portion for the charcoal, a cooking grate, and a lid with ventilation holes.
For cooking, we'll set our brazier to indirect mode: this means placing an aluminum tray in the center of the charcoal section, with lit charcoal on either side. The ribs will be placed in the center, directly above the aluminum tray.
Thanks to the tray we can collect the dripping fat from the meat, this way we won't dirty the barbecue and no flames will be produced.
We position the ribs using a rack, inserting the sides into the designated spaces as if they were bicycle tires. Just be careful to point the bones toward the areas closest to the coals.
Now we need to decide if we want to smoke. We use edible wood pellets, but we can also use smoke chips or other pieces of wood ( chunks ).
As soon as we throw the pellets onto the hot coals, we'll immediately smell the wood and see smoke. Close the lid of the barbecue.
Smoking should always be done at the beginning of cooking because that's when the meat absorbs the most aroma.
The ribs should be cooked at 150°C. The more we open the vent, the higher the temperature will rise.
The ribs should be cooked for 2 to 3 hours. After an hour of cooking, you can add water to the pan to create a more humid environment.
Once cooked, the ribs will look great, taking on a bronze color due to the cooking method and smoking.
To determine when the meat is cooked, we'll need to look at the bones: if they stick out from the meat, it means the meat is done. As a second indicator of doneness, we'll need to pick up the initial portion of the ribs with tongs and bend them, bone-side up, to see if all the ribs, as they bend, form an inverted U.
When you cut into the ribs, you'll immediately notice a lovely pink color. Don't be fooled; the ribs aren't raw, but the pink color is due to the cooking method and smoking.
When you bite into it, the meat will be very juicy and the rub will release all its flavors on your palate.
Try this new way to barbecue, very simple and really easy, which will only require a little extra waiting, but will guarantee extraordinary results!
