Smoking Baby Back Ribs

Everyone loves the smoky taste of barbecued ribs but few have had the treat of tasting the kind of quality that is characteristic of competition ribs. Here are some insights into how the professionals do it.

Tip # 1 : Soak The Chips
Many people already know that you should soak the wood chips that you are preparing to use for the smoking but were you aware that many professionals actually season the brine that they are soaking in? You can use a variety of mixes to suit your tastes much the same as you would use to marinate the meat (see tip 2).

Tip # 2 : Marinate the Meat
Not only is marinating a taste advantage during our competitions, it is also now considered a must by the usual trophy winners. Do not overlook this step. Feel free to experiment with different marinades until you stumble upon one that is good to you. Make sure that you give the marinade time to cure into the meat, usually overnight at the least. Also, try to rotate the meat once or twice during the marination process.

Tip # 3: Trim and prepare the Ribs
Start by trimming off the fat, including the underneath filament of fat. Next coat the entire rib rack with some sort of adhering sauce; I use mustard. Do not worry about affecting the taste as this will work off during the cooking process. Add your favorite rub or spices to the rack after you have coated it with the mustard. Add a lot to both sides of the ribs. Return to refrigerator for several hours and allow the seasonings to soak into the meat.

Tip # 4: Slow Cook Smoke the Ribs
Put the ribs into your smoker and slow cook them for at least seven hours. The more meat that you have the more time it will take if you have a normal smoker with the firebox to one side. Consider investing in a higher quality smoker if you want to achieve consistent results. Rotate the ribs at least once during the smoking process. Make sure to keep as little heat on the ribs as possible and as much smoke as possible. Add wood as needed in order to keep a low smoldering fire. Do not expose the ribs to direct heat.

Tip # 5: Plate Them
Put your oily barbecue sauce on the ribs shortly before removing them from the smoker. I say 'oily' because this make them glisten more. Serve or plate the baby back ribs sliced and over a small bed of lettuce with french fries all around the edges. Check out more babyback rib smoking secrets and some professional smokers.