Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Any general items, polls
Post Reply
OzPitman
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2023 10:31 am

Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by OzPitman »

G'day all. Happy to find you all, let's pick this Forum back up with new blood and inspiration. I'm from newy and have attained a apprenticeship as a chef in a bbq joint.

With passion I want to learn how to do perfect bbq, we use a large industrial smoker and fully equipped kitchen.

I want to know the general consensus and opinion on good pork ribs, low and slow using all/any methods or flavourings.

Just wanna see what people think. Thanks everyone good to be here,

Thanks for letting me into the club Davos.
Cobblerdave
Posts: 104
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 4:17 pm

Re: Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by Cobblerdave »

G’day
I cook the ribs at 135 to 150 C the higher end of the smoking range.
Cover the ribs with a thin coat of oil then press on a packet of Mexican fijita seasoning. Hasn’t got a lot of sugar like a lot of bbq rubs and doesn’t taste like Mexican when cooked a general rub that comes in small amounts.
Cook uncovered for 1 1/2 hours then wrap in foil with a little chicken stock. Check in another 1 1/2 and probe between the bones if it’s soft it’s done if not leave for a while longer. It’s finished when it probs soft rather than a temp or time.
I’m not a sauce fan so I leave the wrapped ribs in a towel folded r anything up to an hour.
This method lends itself to cooking on a gasser as well with a aluminium packet of wood chips or a banksia nut for smoke.
Regards CD
Davo
Forum Administrator
Posts: 5330
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:44 am
Location: Albury NSW on the mighty Murray River

Re: Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by Davo »

G'day OzPitman,

A fellow Novacastrian as well, welcome to the forum. I've been trying to rejuvenate this forum for yonks but it hasn't been easy.

Where abouts have you begun your apprenticeship?

There was a pub a few years ago doing low n slow ribs I think around the Broadmeadow/Hamilton area, was there once and one of the chefs was taken to hospital because he cut the tip off one of his fingers.....lucky I didn't find it in my burger.

I'm a Kotara lad myself, I was working in Newcastle untill about 2016 when they privatised the Buses up there then I transferred back to Sydney and the same happened there....so i retired lol.

Ribs....I'm assuming your referring to Pork Ribs, it's like the how long is a piece of string really and how you like them done. I like my ribs on the savoury side rather than smothered with sweet sauce, i like to taste the bark and I also like a bit of chew, don't like them sliding off the bone as they have been turned to Mush. Most the time some of those places boil them rather than smoke them and just lather on a smokey tasting BBQ sauce and many people who know no different like the falling off the bone texture.
I smoke them at 225F (106-110C) with apple wood, keep them naked apart from the rub of course, there's 1000,s out there and I just use an all round rub or sometimes just salt and pepper, I spritz them with 50/50 mix of apple juice and apple cider vinegar, wrap them in foil for 1 hour then unwrap but boat them in the foil wrap with the top part exposed, this is to re-crisp the bark, then I life 1 end of the ribs up so it bends in the middle and I look underneath and if the meat is tearing away from the bones underneath, i take them off and are ready, and if they're not yet tearing underneath, I leave them on and check every 20 minutes or so until they do....that's enough if you want some chew, If you want them to be falling off the bone, sauce them up and recover entirely till a toothpick can be easily slid in the meat without resistence.
It depends on the size, thickness of the ribs but generally i aim for 5 hours so I start at 1pm to eat by 6pm.
Just like briskett, many pitmasters have different techniques to suit their tastes and style and softness of the meat.
Moderator/ Admin

Weber Q320
Weber Performer Kettle
Weber WSM 18.5
OzPitman
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2023 10:31 am

Re: Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by OzPitman »

Hey boss, I'm up at Rudy's bbq r in Maitland. Thanks for the reply. How do I know when someone's replied to me in this forum? Can I turn on email notifications? I have, or can't find, any indication I've had replies in any way.

If this is across the board I suspect this would have a bit to do with engagement issues perhaps?
Last edited by OzPitman on Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
OzPitman
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2023 10:31 am

Re: Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by OzPitman »

Cobblerdave wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 7:02 pm G’day
I cook the ribs at 135 to 150 C the higher end of the smoking range.
Cover the ribs with a thin coat of oil then press on a packet of Mexican fijita seasoning. Hasn’t got a lot of sugar like a lot of bbq rubs and doesn’t taste like Mexican when cooked a general rub that comes in small amounts.
Cook uncovered for 1 1/2 hours then wrap in foil with a little chicken stock. Check in another 1 1/2 and probe between the bones if it’s soft it’s done if not leave for a while longer. It’s finished when it probs soft rather than a temp or time.
I’m not a sauce fan so I leave the wrapped ribs in a towel folded r anything up to an hour.
This method lends itself to cooking on a gasser as well with a aluminium packet of wood chips or a banksia nut for smoke.
Regards CD

Interesting, haha Mexican ribs! I assume like the other fella, your ribs are just before falling off the bone? Not at the point they fall off? I prefer them soft and supple but still sticking to the bone. If only just.
Cobblerdave
Posts: 104
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 4:17 pm

Re: Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by Cobblerdave »

G’day
You’ll find it doesn’t taste like Mexican at all once cooked. Like all spices they mellow with time and heat that’s why you have some over the top rubs cause they have to survive the cooking.
I like the fijita again because it lower in sugar and salt than I lot of the rubs you can buy. The other advantage is they are smaller serves which means you don’t have a lot loosing there flavour once open.
A couple of simple ones
Dalmatian rub….. salt a fresh ground black pepper. Once Cooked the black pepper looses its heat but you’re still left with a pepper flavour.
SPOG…..salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Also know as Memphis dust.
SPOG with lemon zest for chicken
I’m making myself hungry talking about this
Go well
CD
OzPitman
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2023 10:31 am

Re: Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by OzPitman »

I really like the sound of that chicken rub. Anything zesty on chicken is my go to.

Thanks cobber
Davo
Forum Administrator
Posts: 5330
Joined: Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:44 am
Location: Albury NSW on the mighty Murray River

Re: Hello from Newcastle and pork ribs questions.

Post by Davo »

I love a Cajun rub on Chicken
Moderator/ Admin

Weber Q320
Weber Performer Kettle
Weber WSM 18.5
Post Reply