"My Cheat'n Ribs" (half assed ribs) - With the pictures!

Smoke ring this!
 
I take my ribs, pull off the membrane on the bone side, hit both sides with your favorite dry rub, wrap them tightly in Saran Wrap, then wrap them in aluminum foil and put in the refrigerator overnight.  Bake them on a sheet pan in the oven at 225 for 3-1/2 hr or until tender.
 
Put them on your char broiler, bone side down and reheat good.  Then turn them over on the meat side..Careful not to burn them.  Put your favorite glaze on in the last few minutes.  Enjoy... half assed ribs that taste pretty good.  They will fool most people...
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

Good point Baah Ben.

It is usually easier and cheaper to avoid the places in the Stern's books and just go to Denny's or McDonald's or another chain.  The food tastes pretty good and will fool most people...

I think you chose the wrong forum to make the argument that less than the best is good enough. The very reason that this forum exists is contrary to that conclusion.

I'll eat these instead.

The slow cooking in the oven under wrap has always worked for me..

susanll - Oven cooked ribs are something.  But they are not barbecue.

I have had the best - Calhoun's on Kingston Pike after they won Best Ribs in the U.S.A. in 1984 - and that is what I emulate in my cooking and competitive BBQ judging.  I am not that good, but I keep trying.

My paper had an online poll last week for the Best Rib's in Milwaukee.  One of the big vote getters was Jerry's Old Town Inn.  I ate there for the first time the previous week at the urging of some friends.  "Best ribs" is what they said.  These ribs were obviously oven cooked, and were fall-off-the-bone nasty (falling-off-the-bone is a bad thing).  The pork flavor was left in the oven and no smoke flavor or smell was to be found.  Having served my ribs to these friends, I was insulted.

Oven cooking may be the easy way, but it is not the cowboy way.

"Good enough" and "fool most people" is not good enough to be Roadfood quality.

There was a place from the 30"s in Eastern Denver on Colfax close to Yosemite.  the Apple;e Tree Shanty  Over the years they ha built in the courtyard in the center that was originally outdoor dinning.  There was even a big tree still growing in the center up thru the opened roof.  In the beginning there was a huge pit in dining room that was the service kitchen  The Volume was too big and they converted it to a woodfired grill/broiler.  In the prep kitchen was where all the action happened there were at least 12 chest(alter sham shaped smokers/holders)  Filled with ribs and chickens  My Daily prep before running the line for dinner was mats.  The house reputation was built on it's huge slabs of spare ribs.  The chickens were a pian as I not only had to cut them in halves, the backbone came out of each one as well.
The ribs where left whole an trimmed if all far, membrane, and silver skin-clean as a whistle!  Then I lay the slab curved side up and using a cleaver chopped the chyne bone right off.  No specials or junk.  They just thru each chyne away as waste!  this makes such a difference.  It allows the ribs to contract perfectly was they slow cooked for 12 hours over live ahs smoke and low heat.  Just a heavy rub of the dry seasoning they had used for 50 years.  With the chyne taken out before cooking they came out squared up, juicy and all the bits of cartallidge and junk that take away where no where to be found.  The biggest plus was in slicing them!  No fighting to see where to cut.  jus a perfect cut top to bottom on ever juicy rib.  They were lined up on each plate with no fuss at all.

I plan to use the easy way out tomorrow due to the fact that i just don't have all the essentials to properly smoke meats.

My question is this do I cook them in the oven low and slow with the saran wrap and foil on or off? Call me stupid but I just haven't cooked ribs hardly at all. Trust me I have eaten plenty but I just need an answer. Thank you Baah Ben.

Seatown, if you're cooking back ribs they can be grilled indirect at about 350 with good results in less time than traditional smoking takes.  I cooked a rack this way for the first time last week; they took between 1-1/2 and 2 hours and I was happy with how they turned out.



Brad

Seatown76 - Yes, you cook them with the Saran Wrap and the aluminum foil.  Just put them in the oven on a sheet pan so the juices do not drip out..They will be juicy!  Don't worry!  The wrap is not going to melt or flavor the ribs in any way. 
 
The idea for this cooking concept was not mine.  It came from Emerill's head chef and it's an alternative to standing over your char broiler for 5-6 hours.  It is his black corporate chef; He called him Mr. _______?  You may have seen him on his former FoodTV shows.   I loved the idea. 
 
We made them this way in our restaurant because we did not have a smoker.  We got 4 stars for them by the Phantom Diner.  No, they are not BBQ ribs in the truest sense of the word.  That's why I called the post what I did.  But finishing them off on the char broiler for some texture and with a good sauce, it's not bad.

I don't have the right equipment at home (JohnA has a smoker) either to do ribs like they do at a good BBQ joint.  So, what I do is make sure I only invite friends, who don't know the difference!  That's why I'd never invite Michael Hoffman to my home.

If I want legit ribs, I have to go out and eat them or go to someone's home with a smoker and a lot of patience.  Someone like JohnA.  But, these will get your through and most people, except like I said, for diners like long time food guru Michael Hoffman, will be ok with them.

JRPfeff..No, it's the right forum actually.  I purposely did not post on the BBQ forum because they are not BBQ ribs....They are just an alternative way to make ribs. They come out tender because of the Saran Wrap, they have a decent taste and actually, if you take some liquid smoke and mix it with a little water, place it in the wrapped foil and Saran Package, you can get a little smoke flavor as well.  Now all you true BBQ cookers, don't get your panties in a snit.  I know how to make them the right way, too!

Last summer, I went to this supposedly great BBQ place in Blowing Rock and they didn't even have the decency to take on my process.  They literally just took raw ribs and threw them on the char broiler; done in 15 minutes.  I have never tasted worse ribs in my life...Well, now that I recall...In Birmingham at Dreamland.  They do the same exact thing.  I watched them do it!  Horrible.  That's a franchise..Not the original one.

Yes, JRP, I know how to do them correctly and yours look beautiful.  I commend your patience and wanting to do things correctly.  I wish I had your patience.  But as we get older, we lose some of that I guess.  I am flabbergasted to learn that Michael Hoffman, who I know is older than me, seems willing by his enthusiastic little jumping men icons,  to go through that ardous process of doing ribs the right way.  Maybe he is on Geritol or something stronger like Super Chef Viagra?  Maybe I need to see my physican and get some of that Super Chef Viagra, too.

Baah Ben


Yes, JRP, I know how to do them correctly and yours look beautiful.  I commend your patience and wanting to do things correctly.  I wish I had your patience.  But as we get older, we lose some of that I guess. 

Baah Ben -

I think getting older is the reason to do things the right way and for not settling for average when better than average is not much more time or effort.  We've only got so many meals bites left, and we shouldn't waste them.

Jim

p.s. Full Disclosure - My ribs we're grill-smoked, not cooked in a pit.  Prep start to in my mouth in under 3-1/2 hours with me away from home for half that time.

p.p.s. - I'll try to avoid posting after Friday martinis, 10th inning losses to the Cubs, and my political heroes retiring.  That stuff puts me in a cantankerous mood.

You must really be insecrure there, Baah. But then, it's easy to see why.

Yeah..Because I came up with an alternative to cooking ribs for the 4th of July.

IMHO, the way they are made doesn't really matter -- it's the final outcome that does.  I sit in my yard with my recycled Ducane and refuel it every half hour because I'm doing work in my yard at the same time.  When it's the middle of winter with a foot of snow on the ground here in New York, I'd much rather use my oven in my nice, warm house than standing outside in the snow and cold and getting a result that is almost as good. 

JRP - I'd hire you in a minute if I was an employer....Enjoy your holiday..You too, Michael.

I agree with Tony the end result is what matters. If the people you are serving them for enjoys them then who cares whats the right way to do them. I simply am making ribs in a new way.

JRPfeff


susanll - Oven cooked ribs are something.  But they are not barbecue.



"Good enough" and "fool most people" is not good enough to be Roadfood quality.

Ben NEVER mentioned, barbecue!!!
Ben, those ribs sound, FABULOUS!!! Keep up the good work. I'm going to try them myself, soon!

Ben, if I don't want to finish them on the grill, couldn't I just unwrap them and turn the oven on a higher temp for a while?

Twinwillow

JRPfeff


susanll - Oven cooked ribs are something.  But they are not barbecue.



"Good enough" and "fool most people" is not good enough to be Roadfood quality.

Ben NEVER mentioned, barbecue!!!
Ben, those ribs sound, FABULOUS!!! Keep up the good work. I'm going to try them myself, soon!

Smoke ring this!

Twinwillow - That was a verbal challenge.  Do you have any clue as to what it means?

Twinwillow


Ben, if I don't want to finish them on the grill, couldn't I just unwrap them and turn the oven on a higher temp for a while?

I would think so. In doing more research before I start these today instead of finishing them on the grill people have cranked their oven up to 400 degrees and finished them with some sort of basting sace from there.

JRPfeff

Twinwillow

JRPfeff


susanll - Oven cooked ribs are something.  But they are not barbecue.



"Good enough" and "fool most people" is not good enough to be Roadfood quality.

Ben NEVER mentioned, barbecue!!!
Ben, those ribs sound, FABULOUS!!! Keep up the good work. I'm going to try them myself, soon!

Smoke ring this!

Twinwillow - That was a verbal challenge.  Do you have any clue as to what it means?

No. I'm still in 4th grade.

I just have a hard time getting my mind around the idea of leaving the Saran Wrap on while the ribs are cooking. It flys in the face of logic, but, What The He**! If Baah Ben says it works, who am I to argue. Baah Ben has never led anyone astray, not even Mr. Hoffman!  
I used to be a Purest like JRPfeff but now, like Baah Ben, I take the path of least resistance. As you reach our age JRP, you'll understand what we're talkin' about!!  
P.S. I just put Baah Bens's method in my recipe file with the title "Half Assed Saran Wrap Ribs"!

I take the wrap off.  Dry rub and wrap in foil.  I have three slabs sitting on the counter right now.  As it is 95 degrees here, I am not sticking them in the oven.  I will place them wrapped on my gas grill and 'par-bake' them there for about and hour to hour and half.  

Unwrap and give them a turn over the fire.  Viola!  Sauce optional.

Baah Ben, Great title! 
 
I have been known to hurry some ribs along.  Hey, smoked is great, but open pit and broiled are fine also. 
 
I second what Foodbme  said, especially since I know you and your background.  It's a shame that this is another thread being led down the garden path
 
BTW, I smoked four racks today, film at 11
 
Happy 4th!!!!

Twinwillow

JRPfeff

Twinwillow

JRPfeff


susanll - Oven cooked ribs are something.  But they are not barbecue.



"Good enough" and "fool most people" is not good enough to be Roadfood quality.

Ben NEVER mentioned, barbecue!!!
Ben, those ribs sound, FABULOUS!!! Keep up the good work. I'm going to try them myself, soon!

Smoke ring this!

Twinwillow - That was a verbal challenge.  Do you have any clue as to what it means?

No. I'm still in 4th grade.

 

I love it when people who don't know jack, want to send my ribs back because they think the smoke ring is a sign the ribs aren't cooked. It's happened probably 5 times in 7 years!

Chewingthefat,
Along those lines, I worked with a young man who was going to propose to his girlfriend at a nice restaurant in town. He wasn't sure about ordering wines. I told him to just ask them for a bottle of their finest Chateaubriand, and he did! The smooth waiter covered his butt and told him they just sold their last bottle and suggested another vintage!

Foodbme


Chewingthefat,
Along those lines, I worked with a young man who was going to propose to his girlfriend at a nice restaurant in town. He wasn't sure about ordering wines. I told him to just ask them for a bottle of their finest Chateaubriand, and he did! The smooth waiter covered his butt and told him they just sold their last bottle and suggested another vintage!

wonderful

So, ah, for whomever did not take the time to read and understand the title of this thread, they have no business telling Don (who, without even meeting him, I'm sure is NOT insecure. Insecure????) what is real and what is not real. He knows. He chose this way. Not your way. Oh, and is SECURE enough to post it here without caring what others think.
 
And for whomever would like to condescend to me, who USED to totally smoke things in a smoker in her backyard - would you like to move me out of my apartment which has no deck, no balcony and no yard just so I can satisfy your purist heart? Some people do it more quickly their way and guess what? It's good, OK?
 
I plan to probably do mine tomorrow just about the same way, Don. Let anybody say a fresh word to me about it!

Don?

Don's not here right now. I meant Baah Ben and I almost put his real name, which is not Don either. Sorry about that, Mr. Hoffman! And what's worse is that I put it twice.