BACON-ON-A-STICK (Smoked Pork Spare Ribs cured with Tender Quick)
Smoked in my MES 40
I wasn't sure where to put this, but it is called "Bacon" (on a stick), and it is cured, and it does taste about in between Bacon & Ham.
Awhile back I tried one rack of Bacon-on-a-stick, mixed in with some Beef Dinos. The Spares were Great, but just a bit dry. I think they were too thin for the length of time I gave them.
This time I did 2 racks of Pork Spare Ribs, and I did not trim them to St Louis Style first. I think that meant a lot for how moist these were.
These were definitely the best Pork Ribs I've ever had, and were right up top in being one of the best things I have ever smoked!!!
STEP BY STEP:
[First Day:
Cut 2 racks of Pork Spares into 4 pieces, so they will fit neatly into 4 Zip-Lock bags.
Remove membrane from back of Ribs, and trim excess fat from surfaces.
Rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels.
Weigh each piece, and calculate how much Tender Quick should go in each bag, with each piece.
Weigh the right amounts of TQ for each piece, and put these amounts on marked paper plates, ready for rubbing.
(One TBS (1/2 ounce) of TQ per pound), just like other TQ Dry rubs.
Rub each piece with it's proper amount of TQ, and put them in individual Zip-locks.
I also added one TBS of Brown Sugar to each side, and threw any TQ that fell off into the bag with the piece it fell off of, so the proper amount of cure stays with each piece.
Put these packages in Fridge, laying flat, for 48 hours, flipping & massaging only once, at 24 hours. (Fridge set at 37˚/38˚ F)
Note: Longer than 48 hours in cure is not necessary, because these ribs get Hot Smoked just like regular smoked ribs. The TQ is only for the Hammy flavor.
Day #3:
Remove pieces from curing bags, rinse well, and soak in ice water for 1 hour.
Slice a couple thin pieces off, note internal color, and fry to test for salt flavor.
If it tastes salty, soak for another hour. Repeat as needed. These were Perfect after the initial one hour soak.
I have never had to soak anything to get rid of salt flavor, except when I used Hi Mt BBB Cure & Seasoning.
However---I always do a Salt-fry-test---Just in case!!!
Rinse pieces one more time, pat real dry, and put on smoker racks.
I also sprinkled both sides with Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder.
Put in fridge, uncovered, overnight, for pellicle to begin forming.
If you don't have a designated "Meat" fridge, you can run a fan over the pieces for a couple hours, just before you put them in the smoker.
Day #4 (Smoking Day):
10:20 AM------------Pre-heat Smoker to 240˚ (I use an MES 40).
10:25 AM------------Fill 2 rows of AMNPS with Hickory Pellets, and light one end real good. Do not put in Smoker yet.
10:30 AM------------Put meat in smoker on top two positions. No smoke yet, to allow pellicle to finish forming.
11:00 AM------------Reset temp to 225˚, and put well lit AMNPS on bars, on left side, at bottom of Smoker.
1:45 PM-------------Stack meat on wire rack in a foil pan, add 10 ounces of Apple Juice, cover with doubled foil.
1:45 PM-------------Also remove AMNPS, and return meat to 2nd position in Smoker.
1:45 PM-------------I also checked internals, and they ran from about 153˚ to 166˚ at this time.
4:00 PM-------------Cut heat back to 140˚, and close vent all but the thickness of my Smoker probe wire. This stops the cooking process.
4:30 PM-------------Smoker Temp is still 163˚, without element coming on.
4:45 PM-------------Smoker Temp is still 143˚, without element coming on. Kill Smoker Power.
4:55 PM-------------Remove meat from Smoker, unwrap, take pics, cut up Ribs, plate, add sides, and enjoy Great TQ Cured and Smoked Pork Spare Ribs!!!
These Really Exceeded my Expectations!
Thanks,
Bear
Started with 12 pounds of Pork Spare Ribs:
Exactly the right amount of TQ for each piece:
Rubbing TQ & Brown Sugar on both sides (anything that falls off goes in bag with piece it fell off of):
All ready for 48 hours in fridge:
Two little slices for salt-fry test, showing outside of slices:
Same 2 little slices flipped over to show inside of slices----Note bright red color inside from cure:
Salt-fry test sampling:
Two pieces for top position in smoker, with Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder sprinkled on:
Two pieces for 2nd position in smoker (thicker two pieces):
Two racks overnighting in fridge, before smoking (forming pellicle at 37/38˚):
AMNPS smoking perfectly, after blowing flame out.
Pet cemetery in background:
Smoking Step # 2
All pieces in covered foil pan, with 10 ounces of Apple Juice in bottom, under wire rack:
Fresh out of smoker---Steam rising---Note wire rack under Ribs:
All 4 pieces---My favorite color!!!!
Fresh Cured Smoked Slices:
All of them cut apart.
Have to eat the ones on the plate, because no more will fit in the container with lid:
Bear's Supper:
That's All Folks!!!
Smoked in my MES 40
I wasn't sure where to put this, but it is called "Bacon" (on a stick), and it is cured, and it does taste about in between Bacon & Ham.
Awhile back I tried one rack of Bacon-on-a-stick, mixed in with some Beef Dinos. The Spares were Great, but just a bit dry. I think they were too thin for the length of time I gave them.
This time I did 2 racks of Pork Spare Ribs, and I did not trim them to St Louis Style first. I think that meant a lot for how moist these were.
These were definitely the best Pork Ribs I've ever had, and were right up top in being one of the best things I have ever smoked!!!
STEP BY STEP:
[First Day:
Cut 2 racks of Pork Spares into 4 pieces, so they will fit neatly into 4 Zip-Lock bags.
Remove membrane from back of Ribs, and trim excess fat from surfaces.
Rinse well, and pat dry with paper towels.
Weigh each piece, and calculate how much Tender Quick should go in each bag, with each piece.
Weigh the right amounts of TQ for each piece, and put these amounts on marked paper plates, ready for rubbing.
(One TBS (1/2 ounce) of TQ per pound), just like other TQ Dry rubs.
Rub each piece with it's proper amount of TQ, and put them in individual Zip-locks.
I also added one TBS of Brown Sugar to each side, and threw any TQ that fell off into the bag with the piece it fell off of, so the proper amount of cure stays with each piece.
Put these packages in Fridge, laying flat, for 48 hours, flipping & massaging only once, at 24 hours. (Fridge set at 37˚/38˚ F)
Note: Longer than 48 hours in cure is not necessary, because these ribs get Hot Smoked just like regular smoked ribs. The TQ is only for the Hammy flavor.
Day #3:
Remove pieces from curing bags, rinse well, and soak in ice water for 1 hour.
Slice a couple thin pieces off, note internal color, and fry to test for salt flavor.
If it tastes salty, soak for another hour. Repeat as needed. These were Perfect after the initial one hour soak.
I have never had to soak anything to get rid of salt flavor, except when I used Hi Mt BBB Cure & Seasoning.
However---I always do a Salt-fry-test---Just in case!!!
Rinse pieces one more time, pat real dry, and put on smoker racks.
I also sprinkled both sides with Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder.
Put in fridge, uncovered, overnight, for pellicle to begin forming.
If you don't have a designated "Meat" fridge, you can run a fan over the pieces for a couple hours, just before you put them in the smoker.
Day #4 (Smoking Day):
10:20 AM------------Pre-heat Smoker to 240˚ (I use an MES 40).
10:25 AM------------Fill 2 rows of AMNPS with Hickory Pellets, and light one end real good. Do not put in Smoker yet.
10:30 AM------------Put meat in smoker on top two positions. No smoke yet, to allow pellicle to finish forming.
11:00 AM------------Reset temp to 225˚, and put well lit AMNPS on bars, on left side, at bottom of Smoker.
1:45 PM-------------Stack meat on wire rack in a foil pan, add 10 ounces of Apple Juice, cover with doubled foil.
1:45 PM-------------Also remove AMNPS, and return meat to 2nd position in Smoker.
1:45 PM-------------I also checked internals, and they ran from about 153˚ to 166˚ at this time.
4:00 PM-------------Cut heat back to 140˚, and close vent all but the thickness of my Smoker probe wire. This stops the cooking process.
4:30 PM-------------Smoker Temp is still 163˚, without element coming on.
4:45 PM-------------Smoker Temp is still 143˚, without element coming on. Kill Smoker Power.
4:55 PM-------------Remove meat from Smoker, unwrap, take pics, cut up Ribs, plate, add sides, and enjoy Great TQ Cured and Smoked Pork Spare Ribs!!!
These Really Exceeded my Expectations!
Thanks,
Bear
Started with 12 pounds of Pork Spare Ribs:
Exactly the right amount of TQ for each piece:
Rubbing TQ & Brown Sugar on both sides (anything that falls off goes in bag with piece it fell off of):
All ready for 48 hours in fridge:
Two little slices for salt-fry test, showing outside of slices:
Same 2 little slices flipped over to show inside of slices----Note bright red color inside from cure:
Salt-fry test sampling:
Two pieces for top position in smoker, with Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder sprinkled on:
Two pieces for 2nd position in smoker (thicker two pieces):
Two racks overnighting in fridge, before smoking (forming pellicle at 37/38˚):
AMNPS smoking perfectly, after blowing flame out.
Pet cemetery in background:
Smoking Step # 2
All pieces in covered foil pan, with 10 ounces of Apple Juice in bottom, under wire rack:
Fresh out of smoker---Steam rising---Note wire rack under Ribs:
All 4 pieces---My favorite color!!!!
Fresh Cured Smoked Slices:
All of them cut apart.
Have to eat the ones on the plate, because no more will fit in the container with lid:
Bear's Supper:
That's All Folks!!!
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