Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Ribbed.




From the Fatted Calf's email newsletter this week:

Rules For Ribs

Remember, anyone can turn out a few racks of damn good ribs. You do not need a lot of special equipment, be of a specific gender or have a granddaddy from the hill country. Patience, desire and a heat source will do.

Rule 1:Formulating Your Meaty Plan You will want to have at least 3 ribs per person. Some people might only eat two while others are endowed with a gene that allows them to consume an entire rack in one sitting.

Rule 2: Don't Rush It If you allow yourself five hours of cooking time you won't be disappointed with tough, underdone ribs. Keep your grill/smoker at about 225 degrees.

Rule 3: Stack 'em up. Stack your ribs up to three high so that one's steaming in the middle at all times. This exposes all the slabs to different types of heat so that none is getting too much dry heat. Every half hour or so, rotate the bottom rack to the top, the middle to the bottom and the top to the center. Putting a small pan of water in the coals will help ensure moist deliciousness as well.

Rule 4: Create a distraction. You will not be able to keep enthusiastic guests from hovering, poking, prodding, offering unsolicited advice and second guessing your every move unless you distract them. A few Basque Coils and a little salumi set out ahead of time go a long way in keeping too many cooks out of your outdoor kitchen.

Sign up for the newsletter now, and know the meaty treats of the week.

I doubt this spiff little Lazzari box-o-charcoal will keep the heat on the ribs for 5 hours, but it sure is pretty. Via Treehugger.

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