Memorial Day Ribs – The Tradition Continues

I know I said last year I was done with ribs. I know I should have read my blogs again to remind myself that me and ribs are not meant to be, but time heals all wounds and how quickly we forget.

This year I used a different technique hoping a avoid last year’s failure.

I bought 3 racks of St. Louis style ribs from Kroger’s. In hind sight I think I could have gotten away with 2 racks. We had baked beans, salad, and corn on the cob; never made it to the watermelon. Maybe we’ll turn the left overs into pulled pork via the slow cooker.

Defrost the ribs
Defrost the ribs.

First, marinate the ribs in apple juice for 2 hours.

Marinate in apple juice
Marinate in apple juice

Next, I coated both sides in Gulden’s spicy brown mustard.

Coat with mustard
Coat with mustard.

Next, I coated both sides in Nolan Ryan’s BBQ rub. It was spicy, but not too spicy.

Coat with rib rub
Coat with rib rub

Then, the ribs cooked on the grill – indirect heat of course – for 3 hours at between 200 and 300 degrees. (I think the unsteady temperature is the primary reason for my rib failures.)

Next, I bathed the ribs in sauce and wrapped them in aluminum foil. They went back on the grill for another 2 hours.

Bath in sauce
Bath in sauce.

Finally, I took them off the grill and let them rest for nearly an hour. They weren’t fall off the bone, but they weren’t tough either. I still haven’t found my holy grail, my fountain of youth, my….Maybe next year. (Maybe next year I’ll wise-up and buy the cooked ribs.)

Cut up the ribs and enjoy
Cut up the ribs and enjoy.

But seriously, temperature is the number one factor to affect tenderness. I think I need a good thermometer and I need to stabilize the temperature.