September welcomes Football and cooler weather, and both of those play well with BBQ.
Growing up tailgating was synonymous with cooking outside. One of our favorite ways to cook outside is to Barbecue. Barbeque aka BBQ is cooking long, low and slow. The way life should be, after all who’s got time to be in a hurry anyway.
Whether you have a Weber kettle, Weber Smoky Mountain (bullet type), Big Green Egg or even better one of those serious custom smokers, it’s easy keysey easy!
Love all types of BBQ, whether it be beef, chicken, pork, but my favorite when it comes to share has to be ribs. Meaty and easy domestic pork loin back ribs. So why not smoke some ribs and share the love.
Here is our recipe for BBQ ribs- Ingredients- Key West Spice Company© Island BBQ 4-6 Racks Pork Loin Back Ribs, about 3 lbs. each BBQ Sauce of choice (my favorite has to be Gates from Kansas City)
Equipment- Smoker, The Weber Smokey Mountain is an affordable easy to use smoker that allows you to cook a lot at once Rib rack Chimney starter Natural hardwood charcoal Wood chunks of choice (apple, pecan, cherry, peach, hickory, or buttonwood all work great)
Instructions: Soak wood chunks in water.
Using a dull knife, slide tip under the membrane coating the underside of the racks of ribs. Lift and loosen the membrane from the ribs, grab a corner and peel it off. If it’s too slippery a paper towel can help with getting a good grip. Repeat the process with all the slabs of ribs. Removing the membrane helps in smoking and who wants to eat it anyway.
Season the ribs with the Island Rub all over, lighter on the under side and a bit heavier on the meaty side. Let the happily seasoned ribs rest while you light the fire.
Fill chimney starter with charcoal, light and burn until charcoal is lightly covered in white ash. Empty the chimney starter into the bottom section of the Weber Smokey Mountain and cover with additional unlit charcoal and then some soaked wood chunks.
Add middle section of smoker fill drip pan with water, add grill grates and lid. Check for temperature, ideally 225-250. Open or close vents to control air and temperature. Place ribs in rib rack before placing on the grill. Let the ribs cook and smoke for about 4 hours, checking temperature and adding additional wood chunks and charcoal as needed.
They are done when the meat has shrunk back from the bone by 1/4 inch or more. When you lift a rack by picking up one end with tongs, the rack should bend in the middle and the meat should tear easily. If they look and feel dry, brush them with a mixture of BBQ sauce and water, wrap in foil and place in a 225 degree oven for about 30 minutes to gain back some moisture.