Beginner’s Guide to Grilling Spare Ribs
A delicious meal for summertime backyard barbeques, grilling spare ribs takes a little bit of practice to achieve that fall off the bone texture and lip smacking flavor that is so enjoyed in restaurants.
Spare ribs are one of three portions of the ribs on a pig. Baby back ribs are found in the upper quadrant, spare ribs are the midsection to lower ribs and the furthest down the ribcage are the rib tips. The spare ribs are located behind the shoulder and along the side of the pig, and consist of approximately 12 to 15 curved bones that are connected by connective tissue to form a slab. Their name is derived from the term “spar”, which is the term that is used when referring to the curved structure of a ship. In between each of the bones of the rib are small portions of meat and larger portions of fat. Though the meat found on the ribs may be sparse, it is also juicy and succulent and well worth the effort of cooking.
When buying the ribs, you may notice there is a shiny skin like covering on the underside of the rack. The decision of whether to remove this membrane or leave it on rests with the cook. Some chefs will say that leaving it on affects the quality of the meat, but just as many will refute that. Taking the membrane off will require a bit more preparation before cooking, but can be done easily enough. Using a blunt instrument such as a butter knife, work the knife under the edge of the membrane at the end of the rack. When you have managed to peel some of the membrane away from the meat, using a sheet of paper toweling for better traction pull the membrane down toward the end of the rack. It may pull away in one sheet or it come away in portions.
Before grilling spare ribs, they must be seasoned. There are two types of barbeque ribs; one prepared with a dry rub and the other with a wet sauce. The best way to achieve flavorful ribs is to apply a dry barbeque rub directly to the meat and place the rack in a sealable plastic bag and allow them to marinate for a minimum of 4 hours. Overnight marinating will produce the best results.
Now it is time for the cooking. The most important tip in cooking ribs is to remember “low and slow” over indirect heat. Low refers to the cooking temperature, which should be maintained at between 275 and 300 degrees. Slow means that patience will be needed to allow the fat to melt into the meat; three to four hours of grilling in this manner will produce delicious and tender ribs. If a wet sauce is to be applied, begin swabbing the meat with the sauce about ½ hour before the ribs are done. Since sugars are present in barbeque sauces, they could burn if applied earlier. To test the ribs for doneness, insert a fork between two of the ribs and twist slightly. The ribs are done when the meat gives away with little pressure.
Though it will be tempting to dive right into the tasty ribs, they will become even more tender and tasty if you wrap them in aluminum foil and allow them to rest for about an hour at room temperature before indulging in this mouthwatering meal.
Even beginners can present their family with restaurant quality meals by grilling spare ribs in this manner. While it takes a little planning and patience, the result will be a meal that will rival any on a restaurant menu; served in your own backyard.