A New Red Meat
Since the high glycogen content of Ostrich meat confers to it an almost sweet flavor, it is suggested to serve it along with a complement of vegetables that contrast nicely with sweet, such as red radicchio and rocket. Rich in proteins and iron, the meat is also low in fat (1-2g per 100g of meat). A large part of those 2g consists of polyunsaturated fatty acids (healthier) as compared with saturated fats. This makes ostrich meat ideal for the diets of babies and the elderly, pregnant and lactating women as well as athletes and people suffering from anemia. As for its flavor; it is more or less similar to high quality beef, although it is much more tender and made up of very short muscle fibers that allow for easier digestion.
Choice
Most ostrich meat comes from farms, many of which are located in Israel, South Africa and the US. Sold ever more commonly even in traditional butcher shops, the major obstacle to its purchase is its relatively high price. This due in large part to three factors: high mortality rates among the farm-raised birds, long growing periods (9 months to a year) and low meat yields relative to the animal's weight (35kg edible meat from a 150kg animal).
Preservation
This meat should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator soon after purchase, ideally wrapped in the appropriate polyethylene wraps or in wax paper. It should be consumed within one or two days of purchase at the most.
Cuts
Ostrich is a flightless bird because it has a flat breastbone that makes it unsuitable for flight. On top of making it flightless, the bird's flat breastbone means it does not have large breast or wing muscles. Therefore the meat from comes from the thigh, leg and back. Cuts are nearly exclusively from the various muscle groups found in the animal's leg, divided into the fillet, sirloin, and thigh. The last cut comes from the neck. From the fillet, cut from the less fibrous part of the animal's thigh, are cut the medallions, kebabs, carpaccios and roasts. From the sirloin; cutlets, steaks, chops and roulades. From the thigh itself; roasts and ground meat for meatballs and hamburgers, while the neck is used in boiled dishes and ossobuco.
Cooking
In dealing with lean meats such as that of the ostrich, especially when grilling, it is important to baste the meat with abundant extra-virgin olive-oil before cooking it in order to avoid the meat becoming hard and dry due to the quick evaporation of its juices. Another method, useful when cooking whole cuts, is to lard the meat in such a way that it keeps the meat moist. Even for the higher quality cuts, it is preferable to cook ostrich meat in the pan and for only a short period. It is also best if the meat is cooked rare and therefore should be removed from the refrigerator at least half an hour, this also allows for a shorter cooking time. In order to further avoid losing the meat's juices, it is wise not to puncture the meat with a fork but instead handle it with two spoons in a pincer movement. For the same purpose, it is a good idea to brown the ostrich roast in a pan with some butter and extra-virgin olive oil before cooking it in the oven, this creates a barrier on the outside of the meat that helps keep the juices in.
Ostrich meat's extreme tenderness, comparable only to the finest veal fillet, lends itself nicely to being eaten crude and therefore should be tried in a carpaccio or tartar.
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Oh Boy! Its Time For Beef Jerky
With the low carb fashion that has hit the nation beef jerky is again very popular. One of the main reasons that beef jerky is healthy is the fact that to make the jerky last for so long the fat needs to be neat or the beef will go bad unless a lot of salt and preservatives are added.
Considering that there is much more of the beef than the fat in jerky it makes it very high in protein and without a lot of carbs. This is good news to the legions of people that follow the Atkin’s diet. Also many people that are conscious about their health prefer marinating and then smoking their own meat because it affords them the knowledge of exactly what they are consuming.
If you are looking for a healthy and suitable snack to take anywhere, this is it. It is especially great for camping as it is compact, gives needed nutrients, tastes great, and does not go bad. Many people that backpack carry beef jerky just for these reasons. It is also light and easy to carry. It is often put in vacuum preserved packaging to pack in the freshness so no matter how long you carry the beef jerky for it stays fresh.
Even though its origins are thought to be from South America during the 1800’s, Americans love their beef jerky. The Quechua tribe of Indians made a product similar to beef jerky which they called ch’arki which is where the name jerky came from. They used elk, deer, and buffalo meat and added salt to them before drying it out or placing the meat over the fire. This made for the preservation of meat that was needed when food was not as available for whatever reason.
The Spaniards took to making this popular snack as well when they inhabited parts of South America and then introduced it worldwide. American cowboys and the early pioneers took to it as beef jerky became a stable of their diets on the border. The early explorers of the country would construct smoke huts and then they would cut strips of meat to be smoked, dried, or put over a fire. The real beef jerky came along when the meat was first flavored. By adding spices the meat became better tasting.
With more people being wary of what they are eating and at the same time looking for low cost healthy foods, beef jerky is seeing something of a rebirth. It’s a great snack for adults and kids alike and everyone has to admit that eating a stick of beef jerky is much better for you and better tasting than a high fat treat.
Considering that there is much more of the beef than the fat in jerky it makes it very high in protein and without a lot of carbs. This is good news to the legions of people that follow the Atkin’s diet. Also many people that are conscious about their health prefer marinating and then smoking their own meat because it affords them the knowledge of exactly what they are consuming.
If you are looking for a healthy and suitable snack to take anywhere, this is it. It is especially great for camping as it is compact, gives needed nutrients, tastes great, and does not go bad. Many people that backpack carry beef jerky just for these reasons. It is also light and easy to carry. It is often put in vacuum preserved packaging to pack in the freshness so no matter how long you carry the beef jerky for it stays fresh.
Even though its origins are thought to be from South America during the 1800’s, Americans love their beef jerky. The Quechua tribe of Indians made a product similar to beef jerky which they called ch’arki which is where the name jerky came from. They used elk, deer, and buffalo meat and added salt to them before drying it out or placing the meat over the fire. This made for the preservation of meat that was needed when food was not as available for whatever reason.
The Spaniards took to making this popular snack as well when they inhabited parts of South America and then introduced it worldwide. American cowboys and the early pioneers took to it as beef jerky became a stable of their diets on the border. The early explorers of the country would construct smoke huts and then they would cut strips of meat to be smoked, dried, or put over a fire. The real beef jerky came along when the meat was first flavored. By adding spices the meat became better tasting.
With more people being wary of what they are eating and at the same time looking for low cost healthy foods, beef jerky is seeing something of a rebirth. It’s a great snack for adults and kids alike and everyone has to admit that eating a stick of beef jerky is much better for you and better tasting than a high fat treat.
Cooking Western Massachusetts Style
Some of the Chefs in Western Massachusetts like to take native ingredients and recipes and give them their own signature
fish cakes
* 1 lb. mixed fish, cut in large dice (salmon, swordfish, tuna)
* 1 small rib celery, finely diced
* 1/2 small green pepper, finely diced
* 1/2 small red pepper, finely diced
* 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
* 1/2 cup bread crumbs
* 1 tsp. mixed tarragon & chives, chopped
* 1 cup white wine & 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
* 1 egg
* 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
* 3/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/4 cup milk
* flour & oil as needed for cooking
sweet & spicy aioli sauce
* 4-5 cloves roasted garlic
* 2 oz. rice wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup Thai garlic chili sauce
* 1/2 tsp. salt, plus additional to taste
* 2 large egg yolks
* 2 oz. granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
Place the chopped fish in a small sauce pan. Cover the fish with tap water, the cup of white wine and the 1/2 cup wine vinegar. Boil gently just until the fish is opaque (just barely cooked through and juicy).
Drain and place in a bowl with the diced vegetables, eggs, Dijon mustard, Tabasco sauce and seasonings, mashing the mixture together like a meatloaf or meatball mixture. Add the milk to the bread crumbs to moisten and incorporate into the fish mixture. Form this mixture into 8 "patties", in a similar manor as making a hamburger patty. Chill until ready to cook.
For the sweet & spicy aioli sauce: place the sugar and vinegar in a small pan and heat over high heat, just to melt the sugar. Pull off the heat and reserve. Place the garlic cloves, eggs, salt and chili sauce in a food processor and turn on the power.
Very slowly incorporate the oil, the sauce should take on a thick mayonnaise consistency once you have added all the oil. Now with the machine still running, add the vinegar mixture, then stop the machine. You have created an emulsion, and the key to a successful emulsion is in the slow addition of the oil, so the sauce doesn't separate. If it is too thick at this point you may incorporate a little water to thin it out. Check the seasoning, it should have a good balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavors to really make your taste buds salivate.
Heat some vegetable oil, enough to cover the bottom of a large sauté pan, until it is very hot, almost smoking. Dip the fish cakes in a flour and then cook for 2-3 minutes on a medium heat, until nice and golden brown. Flip the fish cakes over and cook the other side until nicely golden browned also.
To serve, place the mixed baby greens on serving plates topped with a small amount of vinaigrette. Place the warm fish cakes on top, topping them off with aioli sauce. Enjoy!
Courtesy Chef Chris Albano
http://www.westernmachefs.com
fish cakes
* 1 lb. mixed fish, cut in large dice (salmon, swordfish, tuna)
* 1 small rib celery, finely diced
* 1/2 small green pepper, finely diced
* 1/2 small red pepper, finely diced
* 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
* 1/2 cup bread crumbs
* 1 tsp. mixed tarragon & chives, chopped
* 1 cup white wine & 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
* 1 egg
* 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
* 3/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/4 cup milk
* flour & oil as needed for cooking
sweet & spicy aioli sauce
* 4-5 cloves roasted garlic
* 2 oz. rice wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup Thai garlic chili sauce
* 1/2 tsp. salt, plus additional to taste
* 2 large egg yolks
* 2 oz. granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
Place the chopped fish in a small sauce pan. Cover the fish with tap water, the cup of white wine and the 1/2 cup wine vinegar. Boil gently just until the fish is opaque (just barely cooked through and juicy).
Drain and place in a bowl with the diced vegetables, eggs, Dijon mustard, Tabasco sauce and seasonings, mashing the mixture together like a meatloaf or meatball mixture. Add the milk to the bread crumbs to moisten and incorporate into the fish mixture. Form this mixture into 8 "patties", in a similar manor as making a hamburger patty. Chill until ready to cook.
For the sweet & spicy aioli sauce: place the sugar and vinegar in a small pan and heat over high heat, just to melt the sugar. Pull off the heat and reserve. Place the garlic cloves, eggs, salt and chili sauce in a food processor and turn on the power.
Very slowly incorporate the oil, the sauce should take on a thick mayonnaise consistency once you have added all the oil. Now with the machine still running, add the vinegar mixture, then stop the machine. You have created an emulsion, and the key to a successful emulsion is in the slow addition of the oil, so the sauce doesn't separate. If it is too thick at this point you may incorporate a little water to thin it out. Check the seasoning, it should have a good balance of sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavors to really make your taste buds salivate.
Heat some vegetable oil, enough to cover the bottom of a large sauté pan, until it is very hot, almost smoking. Dip the fish cakes in a flour and then cook for 2-3 minutes on a medium heat, until nice and golden brown. Flip the fish cakes over and cook the other side until nicely golden browned also.
To serve, place the mixed baby greens on serving plates topped with a small amount of vinaigrette. Place the warm fish cakes on top, topping them off with aioli sauce. Enjoy!
Courtesy Chef Chris Albano
http://www.westernmachefs.com
Peppermint Sweets Gift
At Christmas time we all like to indulge in rich foods, such as Christmas pudding and Christmas Cake, sweets and candy. During the Second World War when food was rationed, children went without sweets. Sugar was rationed to 8oz (225g) per person per month. Sugar is the main ingredient of sweets, which is why they were so scarce and why they became a luxury item.
To make peppermint sweets you will need...
12 tablespoons of icing sugar
1 egg white
green food colouring (optional)
peppermint flavouring and cooking chocolate.
Remember to wash your hands and clean the work surfaces before you begin.
Method...
Add to a bowl the icing sugar, egg white, 4 drops of peppermint flavouring and 12 drops of green food colouring. Mix well and kneed the mixture to form a smooth ball. If the mixture is a little too wet add more icing sugar.
Roll the ball into a large sausage and slice into individual sweets. Use your hands to shape the sweets and leave them on a chopping board to dry.
Melt the chocolate in a dish in the microwave, it will only need a minute or two. Don't over do it, it just needs enough time to melt. If you do not have a microwave, you may need an adult to help. Stand a mixing bowl inside a pan of boiling water on the hob, keep the water simmering. Don’t let any water bubble over the side and into the chocolate because this spoils the chocolate. Be careful not to let the pan boil dry.
Dip each sweet into the chocolate half way, and leave it on some tinfoil until the chocolate sets.
To package your home made sweets you could buy a small metallic gift box or gift bag, or you could bundle the sweets in paper napkins tied up with ribbon or tinsel, these look a bit like mini Santa sacks.
A perfect Christmas gift for someone with a sweet tooth.
To make peppermint sweets you will need...
12 tablespoons of icing sugar
1 egg white
green food colouring (optional)
peppermint flavouring and cooking chocolate.
Remember to wash your hands and clean the work surfaces before you begin.
Method...
Add to a bowl the icing sugar, egg white, 4 drops of peppermint flavouring and 12 drops of green food colouring. Mix well and kneed the mixture to form a smooth ball. If the mixture is a little too wet add more icing sugar.
Roll the ball into a large sausage and slice into individual sweets. Use your hands to shape the sweets and leave them on a chopping board to dry.
Melt the chocolate in a dish in the microwave, it will only need a minute or two. Don't over do it, it just needs enough time to melt. If you do not have a microwave, you may need an adult to help. Stand a mixing bowl inside a pan of boiling water on the hob, keep the water simmering. Don’t let any water bubble over the side and into the chocolate because this spoils the chocolate. Be careful not to let the pan boil dry.
Dip each sweet into the chocolate half way, and leave it on some tinfoil until the chocolate sets.
To package your home made sweets you could buy a small metallic gift box or gift bag, or you could bundle the sweets in paper napkins tied up with ribbon or tinsel, these look a bit like mini Santa sacks.
A perfect Christmas gift for someone with a sweet tooth.
Why Are Online Organic Food Delivery Services On The Increase?
After a hard week at work or looking after children or relatives, the last thing you want to do is spend time pushing a big heavy shopping trolley around your local supermarket or walking around the busy town or shopping centre. Have you realized how much time you spend, and how much energy you use when shopping?
Are you sick and tired of having to waste this precious time, when you could be spending it with your family, chilling out or doing something of your choice? If so, then you need to start looking into deliver services in your area. Delivery services are becoming more and more popular as the growth of the internet means that nearly everybody has access to a computer and can save time by ordering online. You can even save money as its not as easy to get tempted into impulse buying when you cant see the packaging in front of you. Just think, no more dragging young children around the supermarket and watching in dismay as they try to pull everything off the shelves!
At the moment nearly every region in the UK has a delivery service that is easy to find online, GuideMeGreen has loads of local and national organic, fair-trade and special diet delivery services with an increasing range of food and non-food products. You often have to sign up or register with these sites and then you can begin your shopping right away, They are easy and fun and so convenient that you will find yourself with almost too much time on your hands!
Obviously, different companies offer different foods for delivery but you can often buy most if not all of your favourite groceries and more from these companies. You can find a vast selection of fruits and vegetables, both organic, locally grown and sometimes imported. You will find exotic fruits and vegetables as well as the old staples like potatoes and carrots. No matter what you need you can get it from these great food services.
You will also find a huge selection of organic dried and canned goods that you can have delivered right to your door any day of the week. Canned soup and dried pasta are just a few of the great items you can have delivered to you each week. Most of these services even have goodies like organic cookies and even some organic cakes! Many companies have non food lines such as eco friendly washing and laundry products.
You will get a choice of delivery. You may choose to have your food delivered after work or while you are at work. Many people choose to have their shopping dropped off while they are at work so that they are there when they get home. You can even ask that the goods be left in the back garden or with a neighbour so that they do not get stolen.
Organic food delivery services are flexible and convenient and they are something that every one can benefit from. The increasing number of people using these services is testament to that. The choice comes when you decide which ones to use – should it be supermarkets where you can buy anything and everything in one go or should you support the smaller companies where you may not be able to buy everything that you are used to….ill let you decide.
Are you sick and tired of having to waste this precious time, when you could be spending it with your family, chilling out or doing something of your choice? If so, then you need to start looking into deliver services in your area. Delivery services are becoming more and more popular as the growth of the internet means that nearly everybody has access to a computer and can save time by ordering online. You can even save money as its not as easy to get tempted into impulse buying when you cant see the packaging in front of you. Just think, no more dragging young children around the supermarket and watching in dismay as they try to pull everything off the shelves!
At the moment nearly every region in the UK has a delivery service that is easy to find online, GuideMeGreen has loads of local and national organic, fair-trade and special diet delivery services with an increasing range of food and non-food products. You often have to sign up or register with these sites and then you can begin your shopping right away, They are easy and fun and so convenient that you will find yourself with almost too much time on your hands!
Obviously, different companies offer different foods for delivery but you can often buy most if not all of your favourite groceries and more from these companies. You can find a vast selection of fruits and vegetables, both organic, locally grown and sometimes imported. You will find exotic fruits and vegetables as well as the old staples like potatoes and carrots. No matter what you need you can get it from these great food services.
You will also find a huge selection of organic dried and canned goods that you can have delivered right to your door any day of the week. Canned soup and dried pasta are just a few of the great items you can have delivered to you each week. Most of these services even have goodies like organic cookies and even some organic cakes! Many companies have non food lines such as eco friendly washing and laundry products.
You will get a choice of delivery. You may choose to have your food delivered after work or while you are at work. Many people choose to have their shopping dropped off while they are at work so that they are there when they get home. You can even ask that the goods be left in the back garden or with a neighbour so that they do not get stolen.
Organic food delivery services are flexible and convenient and they are something that every one can benefit from. The increasing number of people using these services is testament to that. The choice comes when you decide which ones to use – should it be supermarkets where you can buy anything and everything in one go or should you support the smaller companies where you may not be able to buy everything that you are used to….ill let you decide.
Two Methods of Chicken Cut - Simply and Professionally
There are two ways in which chickens or poultry can be cut up, one for home use and the other for professional use. The technique can be learned quite easily and it's a useful skill to have.
The advantages are that it is more economical to cut up chicken or poultry yourself than buying in portions, and you can cut the way you want them in any various combinations such as drumsticks with or without the thigh, or breasts with or with the wings, etc.
A key point to remember is to feel the joints when you have to sever sinews and cartilage. To cut through bones, ideally a serrated knife or poultry shears are used.
The method that is common and popular amongst home cooks is as follows:
Basically there are eight steps to cut up the chicken or poultry. Firstly, by using a large sharp knife, free the leg by carefully cutting the skin between the body and the leg. Cut through the skin as far as the joint, bending the leg outwards with the hand. Then twist the leg until the ball of the joint springs out. After that, cut through the joint, pressing lightly. Cut through the leg at the knee joint to separate the thigh from the drumstick. Separate the wing at the shoulder joint, cutting off a small part of the breast with it. Press quite firmly to split the collarbone and divide the back parallel to the backbone. Cut across the back at the middle point, breaking the backbone with short movements of the knife. Finally to separate the breasts, carefully cut left and right along the length of the breastbone.
The professional cooks have a different method of cutting up chickens or poulty and the following method is based on 1-3/4 pounds poultry, in order to achieve portions of equal size:
In eight steps, firstly make a cut approximately 3/8 inch deep across the back under the shoulder blades. Cut along the backbone at a right angle to this and remove the "chicken oysters", which is the tender part whose quality matches that of the breasts. Cut through the skin between the body and the leg. Spread out the leg and cut through the joint. Chop off the outermost section of each wing, cutting through the joint with a small chopper or large knife.
Remove the wings with some breast meat, along the breastbone and wishbone as far as the joint. To remove the breasts, first hold the chicken firmly by the wishbone and cut along the breastbone. Turn the carcass 180 degree, then loosen the breast from the front along the wishbone as far as the joint. Take off the breast, making a cut from the joint to the end of the breastbone.
The legs are left in one piece and the wing tips are removed, for the sake of appearance.
The number of individual pieces depends on the size of the chicken. You can use the remainder of the carcass to make stock, soups and sauces.
The two methods above are simple to master and whether you choose to cut your chickens simply or professionally, these are the correct methods to follow.
The advantages are that it is more economical to cut up chicken or poultry yourself than buying in portions, and you can cut the way you want them in any various combinations such as drumsticks with or without the thigh, or breasts with or with the wings, etc.
A key point to remember is to feel the joints when you have to sever sinews and cartilage. To cut through bones, ideally a serrated knife or poultry shears are used.
The method that is common and popular amongst home cooks is as follows:
Basically there are eight steps to cut up the chicken or poultry. Firstly, by using a large sharp knife, free the leg by carefully cutting the skin between the body and the leg. Cut through the skin as far as the joint, bending the leg outwards with the hand. Then twist the leg until the ball of the joint springs out. After that, cut through the joint, pressing lightly. Cut through the leg at the knee joint to separate the thigh from the drumstick. Separate the wing at the shoulder joint, cutting off a small part of the breast with it. Press quite firmly to split the collarbone and divide the back parallel to the backbone. Cut across the back at the middle point, breaking the backbone with short movements of the knife. Finally to separate the breasts, carefully cut left and right along the length of the breastbone.
The professional cooks have a different method of cutting up chickens or poulty and the following method is based on 1-3/4 pounds poultry, in order to achieve portions of equal size:
In eight steps, firstly make a cut approximately 3/8 inch deep across the back under the shoulder blades. Cut along the backbone at a right angle to this and remove the "chicken oysters", which is the tender part whose quality matches that of the breasts. Cut through the skin between the body and the leg. Spread out the leg and cut through the joint. Chop off the outermost section of each wing, cutting through the joint with a small chopper or large knife.
Remove the wings with some breast meat, along the breastbone and wishbone as far as the joint. To remove the breasts, first hold the chicken firmly by the wishbone and cut along the breastbone. Turn the carcass 180 degree, then loosen the breast from the front along the wishbone as far as the joint. Take off the breast, making a cut from the joint to the end of the breastbone.
The legs are left in one piece and the wing tips are removed, for the sake of appearance.
The number of individual pieces depends on the size of the chicken. You can use the remainder of the carcass to make stock, soups and sauces.
The two methods above are simple to master and whether you choose to cut your chickens simply or professionally, these are the correct methods to follow.
Barbecue Ribs - Competition Style in Your Backyard
Great barbeque recipes are hard to come by. Most recipes and books leave out important information like times and temperatures. In our book, “Competition BBQ Secrets”, we give you all the details on how to cook professional competition quality meats. And... guess what? You can do it to in your back yard. You don’t need a fancy $2000 offset smoker. Just use your Weber kettle grill!...
Prepping your grill
Just about everybody has a Weber kettle charcoal grill in their back yard. You can smoke some pretty good ribs on these things. This is one of my favorite barbeque recipes because I can use mesquite wood and Lee will not allow me to put mesquite in his expensive Lang Smoker because of the residue it leaves on the inside surfaces. Anyway... here’s how to set up your charcoal grill so that you are “offset smoking” and not grilling... I simply start it up by making two piles of charcoal briquettes on opposite sides of the grill (away from the center). Make sure your vents on the bottom of the grill are open and not clogged with ashes. I then squirt my lighter fluid on the briquettes and light them.
Start soaking your wood chips at least an hour before you will need them. I make sure the charcoal is white before I start smoking so that all the lighter fluid has burnt up and does not give your meat a lighter fluid taste. If you want to use a charcoal chimney to start your charcoal, that’s OK too - some people hate using lighter fluid. Just dump your “white” charcoal from the chimney on opposite sides of the grill when they are ready. You can place a disposable aluminum pan between your charcoal piles and fill it with about an inch of warm water or beer if you want.
Prepping your ribs
You can either buy spareribs or what is called loin back ribs. If you buy the big spareribs, cut the brisket end off the ribs at the joint. Then trim the skirt meat off. Don’t throw this away - you can cook it separately and eat it too. You also want to pull the membrane off the back side of the ribs. If you want, you can put your favorite dry rub on both sides of your ribs at this time. I prefer the more natural taste of the smoked meat with a little BBQ sauce, so I do not apply any rub or any other seasonings before smoking. That’s the great thing about barbecue recipes... you can change them up to suit your liking! Just don’t change the “technique” too much.
Let’s start smoking
When you are ready to start smoking, place your grate on the grill so that the holes near the handles are over your charcoal piles. This way, you can add charcoal as needed to maintain your heat. Some newer models have hinged grates for this purpose.
Now all you do is place your meat in the center of the grate - away from the charcoal piles. When I smoke ribs, I use a rib rack on top of the grate. Weber makes a good rib rack and you can get one at any good store that sells Weber grills. Place your trimmed pieces anywhere not directly over the coals. Throw some soaked mesquite chips directly on the charcoal and close the lid (don’t overdo the mesquite chips - mesquite imparts a strong smoke taste so a little goes a long way). Feel free to used soaked hickory, pecan, oak, apple, or any other “flavor” of wood chips that suits your taste buds. This is another way to personalize your barbeque recipes... there are all different types of woods and wood combinations that you can use. There are even unique and exotic woods like grape vine. I personally like mesquite as I feel it is the only smoke flavor that will not get covered up by your sauce. If done right, it’s not overpowering, but you can still taste that delicious smoke flavor.
Open the vents on the lid all the way and insert a thermometer through one of the vent holes. This is important! I use one of those confection/deep fry style thermometers with the clip and long stem on it. It’s important to measure the temperature as close to the meat as possible. Smoke your ribs at 230 - 240 deg F. If the temperature is too high (around 300 deg) for the first 30 minutes, don’t worry about it too much. If it gets any hotter than 300 deg then crack the lid a little to let some heat escape. When the temperature gets too low, just open the lid and toss in a few new briquettes and/or soaked wood chips. Try to stay “ahead of the game” as far as heat is concerned because it’s easier to cool down a hot smoker than it is to get it back up to temperature if your fire goes out.
Cook the ribs for 3 hours. Don’t open the lid unless absolutely necessary - remember, “if you’re looking, you ain’t cooking”. While you are adding charcoal, you can also spray the ribs with apple juice to keep them moist. After 3 hours, take your ribs off and wrap tightly in foil and return to the grill for one more hour.
Ready for glazing
After one hour in the foil, take your ribs out of the foil and place back on the grill. You’ll know your ribs are getting done when the meat is pulling away from the bone - this is a sure sign that your ribs are getting done. Maybe gently tug on one of the bones to see if it is “loose”. Also... if you pick up one end of a slab with a pair of tongs and your slab bends down 90°, then that is another sign that your ribs are getting done. Barbeque recipes are not an exact science... you have to use some common sense. If it’s cold outside, or humid, or dry your times and temps may vary. Just keep an eye on things and increase or decrease times accordingly.
After removing from the foil, apply your favorite BBQ sauce and glaze the ribs for one more hour. You can cut your BBQ Sauce with honey to make a sweet glaze if that is what you like. Apply your glaze to both sides and flip after 15 minutes and reapply glaze after each 15 minutes. After one hour of glazing, let your ribs rest for at least 15 minutes and then slice between each bone. You are now ready to sink your teeth into some of the best ribs you have ever tasted! Mouth watering, tender, and falling off the bone good!
Prepping your grill
Just about everybody has a Weber kettle charcoal grill in their back yard. You can smoke some pretty good ribs on these things. This is one of my favorite barbeque recipes because I can use mesquite wood and Lee will not allow me to put mesquite in his expensive Lang Smoker because of the residue it leaves on the inside surfaces. Anyway... here’s how to set up your charcoal grill so that you are “offset smoking” and not grilling... I simply start it up by making two piles of charcoal briquettes on opposite sides of the grill (away from the center). Make sure your vents on the bottom of the grill are open and not clogged with ashes. I then squirt my lighter fluid on the briquettes and light them.
Start soaking your wood chips at least an hour before you will need them. I make sure the charcoal is white before I start smoking so that all the lighter fluid has burnt up and does not give your meat a lighter fluid taste. If you want to use a charcoal chimney to start your charcoal, that’s OK too - some people hate using lighter fluid. Just dump your “white” charcoal from the chimney on opposite sides of the grill when they are ready. You can place a disposable aluminum pan between your charcoal piles and fill it with about an inch of warm water or beer if you want.
Prepping your ribs
You can either buy spareribs or what is called loin back ribs. If you buy the big spareribs, cut the brisket end off the ribs at the joint. Then trim the skirt meat off. Don’t throw this away - you can cook it separately and eat it too. You also want to pull the membrane off the back side of the ribs. If you want, you can put your favorite dry rub on both sides of your ribs at this time. I prefer the more natural taste of the smoked meat with a little BBQ sauce, so I do not apply any rub or any other seasonings before smoking. That’s the great thing about barbecue recipes... you can change them up to suit your liking! Just don’t change the “technique” too much.
Let’s start smoking
When you are ready to start smoking, place your grate on the grill so that the holes near the handles are over your charcoal piles. This way, you can add charcoal as needed to maintain your heat. Some newer models have hinged grates for this purpose.
Now all you do is place your meat in the center of the grate - away from the charcoal piles. When I smoke ribs, I use a rib rack on top of the grate. Weber makes a good rib rack and you can get one at any good store that sells Weber grills. Place your trimmed pieces anywhere not directly over the coals. Throw some soaked mesquite chips directly on the charcoal and close the lid (don’t overdo the mesquite chips - mesquite imparts a strong smoke taste so a little goes a long way). Feel free to used soaked hickory, pecan, oak, apple, or any other “flavor” of wood chips that suits your taste buds. This is another way to personalize your barbeque recipes... there are all different types of woods and wood combinations that you can use. There are even unique and exotic woods like grape vine. I personally like mesquite as I feel it is the only smoke flavor that will not get covered up by your sauce. If done right, it’s not overpowering, but you can still taste that delicious smoke flavor.
Open the vents on the lid all the way and insert a thermometer through one of the vent holes. This is important! I use one of those confection/deep fry style thermometers with the clip and long stem on it. It’s important to measure the temperature as close to the meat as possible. Smoke your ribs at 230 - 240 deg F. If the temperature is too high (around 300 deg) for the first 30 minutes, don’t worry about it too much. If it gets any hotter than 300 deg then crack the lid a little to let some heat escape. When the temperature gets too low, just open the lid and toss in a few new briquettes and/or soaked wood chips. Try to stay “ahead of the game” as far as heat is concerned because it’s easier to cool down a hot smoker than it is to get it back up to temperature if your fire goes out.
Cook the ribs for 3 hours. Don’t open the lid unless absolutely necessary - remember, “if you’re looking, you ain’t cooking”. While you are adding charcoal, you can also spray the ribs with apple juice to keep them moist. After 3 hours, take your ribs off and wrap tightly in foil and return to the grill for one more hour.
Ready for glazing
After one hour in the foil, take your ribs out of the foil and place back on the grill. You’ll know your ribs are getting done when the meat is pulling away from the bone - this is a sure sign that your ribs are getting done. Maybe gently tug on one of the bones to see if it is “loose”. Also... if you pick up one end of a slab with a pair of tongs and your slab bends down 90°, then that is another sign that your ribs are getting done. Barbeque recipes are not an exact science... you have to use some common sense. If it’s cold outside, or humid, or dry your times and temps may vary. Just keep an eye on things and increase or decrease times accordingly.
After removing from the foil, apply your favorite BBQ sauce and glaze the ribs for one more hour. You can cut your BBQ Sauce with honey to make a sweet glaze if that is what you like. Apply your glaze to both sides and flip after 15 minutes and reapply glaze after each 15 minutes. After one hour of glazing, let your ribs rest for at least 15 minutes and then slice between each bone. You are now ready to sink your teeth into some of the best ribs you have ever tasted! Mouth watering, tender, and falling off the bone good!
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