Jul 10 2015
I found this recipe on Saveur for ham cured ribs by Chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston.
I had high hopes for them but they came out too salty and I even cut the salt some in the brine. I halved the recipe and used 5/8 cup instead of ¾ cup for the half gallon of water. The next time I will try 1/3 cup since that is what I use in my standard brine.
My BBribs also were not the best. I bought them at my butchers and they were double wrapped and frozen. When I got them I thought they were a little shorter than normal, but they were thick. When I thawed and unwrapped there were two short racks. One looked pretty nice but the other looked like half ribs and half back strap. I cut them in half for my brining pot. They would still do and plenty for the wife and me.
My brine mix was half gallon of water, 5/8 cups of coarse salt and a tablespoon of pink salt, insta cure #1. The ribs were in the brine for 3 days. Anyone’s thoughts on the brine and time are appreciated. After brining I rinsed well and dried, seasoned with just a little Blues Hog rub and in the fridge several hours before smoking.
I had planned on 4 ½ hours for the ribs; 2 hours at 180 deg. and the rest on 235 deg. After two hours I went to 235 deg. and my Savannah Stoker controller settled in at a steady 250 to 255 deg. at grill level.
I had read at several good BBQ sites that the ideal IT for rib was 180 to 190 deg. At 3 hours I checked the temp with my grey thermopen and it was 180 to 185 deg. I thought another 1 ½ hours they will be too done so I went back to 220 deg. I should have remembered Old Dave takes his to 208 in the wrapped stage and mine ended up being underdone.
The ribs were supposed to be glazed with a mustard and molasses sauce. My sample package of Blues Hog came today and one was their Honey Mustard sauce so I used that instead of making my own. I used it on one piece for but I used Kah’s BBQ sauce on two for the wife, she doesn’t like mustard sauces.
I left the piece that looked like back strap plain.
I sauced them with 50 minutes left and tented with foil and let rest 10 minutes before cutting up. I liked the mustard sauced one pretty good and not to mustardy tasting. I always like the Kah’s BBQ sauce.
I thought the beans were extra good, even though the wife didn’t care for them. I thought they had a nice balance of the sweet, sour and heat. I knew the Sutters corn would be good, fresh picked today and my first of the season. I steamed them in my rice cooker and we had butter, Penzey’s sandwich sprinkle and parmesan cheese on them.
Link to rib recipe
http://www.saveur.com/mustard-glazed-ham-ribs-recipeGoogle underbelly Houston and look at their menu's that's a place I could visit several times to taste all the goodies.
Ribs after brining
For the beans
Ready to sauce
Smokin Don
Bean recipe:
3beans w jowl bacon
3 15 oz. cans of beans, drained, I used pinto, red and cannellini
1 can Rotel tomatoes
3 to 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce
3 tablespoons molasses, I used Grandma’s
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce, I used Cholula
1 heaping teaspoon Blues Hog Rub
Salt and pepper to taste
½ sweet onion chopped
½ bell pepper, diced
Jowl bacon diced
I chose to do mine in a Crockpot and was on low for about six hours.
I had pre-cooked the bacon some on my smoker then finished browning in a skillet, added the onions and peppers and cooked about 5 minutes. I deglazed it with some beer and added to the Crockpot.
The last hour I set it to high and cracked the lid to thicken some.
Note: All the tablespoons were heaping.
