steamed BBQ ribs: the night before the cookout

This is the best way I know of to cook ribs.

I use:

baby back ribs (I like the extra meat. You can use any kind)
or spare ribs

I've used a rack of pork ribs here.

spices that everyone knows about:
stubbs spice rub
garlic salt
onion powder
tapatio (if you like em hotter)
water

SECRET INGREDIENTS LISTED IN SECOND IMAGE.
Lemon juice.
Good dark beer.
Maple syrup.

(alternative to beer+syrup? root beer soda!)

You'll need:

aluminum foil

An oven

Roasting pan big enough for all the ribs

patience
advance planning

Step 1 Prepping the meat

Take the meat and stick it in the roasting pan.Lay it in the pan so that it curves up, and the bones ends hold the meat up off the pan a tiny bit. This keeps the meat from "boiling" and lets it "steam" instead.

Now squeeze the lemon over them until you used ALL the juice. or if you haven't got a lemon, use concentrated lemon juice, about a quarter cup.

the lemon is the secret ingredient. It will make the ribs tangy and also help tenderize them.

Take the pepper, all 3 kinds, and paste it on top of the ribs. Make a nice thin' layer of it so it's coated with it. I use a lot of cayenne. It's just my personal taste, yours don't have to have as much as you see in the picture.

add a tiny bit of water. You want just enough to keep the very bottom of the ribs wet. If you want to use beer and maple, add these instead of water. I used a local dark stout but I've had good results from hefeweuzens and mead as well. Only use just enough of the liquid to touch the bottom of the meat.

The lemon doesn't taste like lemon after cooking- it just makes the meat's natural flavor stronger.

Cover the whole thing with aluminum foil, to seal the ribs into the pan. Foil is good, or you can cover the whole pan with a lid. I used a cookie sheet flipped over, since I had no lid big enough for the pan.

If you want the soy sauce in them (if you plan on using sweet bbq sauce or teriyaki later) go ahead and add that now too, but don't add any other salt if you use the soy sauce. If you're gonna use hot sauce, add that now too. Remember, just enough liquid to touch the bottom. Not too much of any ingredient. You want the meat flavor to be the strongest.

Comments

[DiannaLynne]

This looks great - and I will definitely try it with some ribs I have in the freezer waiting for a recipe. Thank you for the great Instructable - made me hungry. You had me right up till you suggested pouring that greasy pan drippings into your dog's food. Not good for the dog - no people food, please, especially fatty foods. Unless you want an unhealthy dog. The operative word here is "fat" And all that salt would be another whole health issue, leading to possible vet bills.

[Mr. Rig It]

I like your maple syrup idea along with dark beer, if you are looking for a maple flavor I bet this works great. But using all of those spices and ingredients, maple syrup and beer I would think you would not taste the actual flavor of the meat any longer. I am not saying your ribs don't taste good but I don't see how adding all of that stuff would give you anything that tasted like ribs. I think I will just have to come over and try them for myself :-) I will have to respectfully disagree about boiling ribs in marinade it doesn't make them greasy it actually cooks the grease out of them so they are less greasy.

[resonanteye]

I do not use much of each ingredient. I guess I should say that in the text huh>? :) They have a mild sweet flavor right out of the oven. I find them a tiny bit less greasy this way- I think that since a lot of the grease drips down instead of collecting back on the top of the liquid, it's less greasy if you plan to fridge em overnight. Of course if you are cooking for an immediate after-boil barbecue it wouldn't make a difference- but the grease congeals if you've boiled them the night before and stuck them in tyhe fridge for the next day, in my experience. thanks for the comment, it was helpful. I'm going to add amounts now too.

[resonanteye]

added some amount information. you just let me know when you're coming, I'll cook up a double batch for us! :)