Meat on the Bone

St. Louis Ribs (Maia's first) tonight. Here is the recipe for simple "Meat on the Bone"

Pull out ribs 30 minutes prior to cooking
Trim ribs and pull membrane.
Rub with paprika and sea salt
drizzle with oil
crack fresh ground pepper (red, white, black, and green is the current mixture).



Begin heating egg. Set for indirect heat, and add a pan of white wine (beer or apple juice works probably better). Put ribs directly into a rack while temperature is still low and mesquite is just beginning to smoke. Heat to 250 degrees, then close up and cook for 3-4 hours, preferably on the underside of that. (**next time, try wrapping in foil for the last hour of cooking; and then finishing on the grill.)

Today I began the cold smoke at 2:05 p.m. By 2:25 p.m. the temperature had reached 250 and I put on the damper. I have it open slightly more than I usually do, so will be checking quite frequently.

The temperature held quite steady, between 220-250 the whole time, stabilizing at 240. I pulled the ribs at 6:05 p.m. Nicely crusted, tender and juicy. Not fall off the bone, but tender and beautiful.

**Of interest. Second rack had to wait about an hour for serving. I wrapped it in foil and then put it back on the grill (200 degrees) for over half an hour. It came out softer than the first, having stewed in its own fat a bit. Impetus for trying out a foil wrapping after two and a half hours, followed by a finishing on the grill over direct heat after basting with bbq sauce.