Ribs are the quintessential BBQ dish.
When people talk BBQ and smoking, ribs are usually the first thing that comes to mind.
You can make ribs in loads of different ways. Some people like them dry, i.e. only seasoned with a good rib rub, while others like them “wet”, brushed with BBQ sauce.
Everyone has their favorites.
To get your ribs as good as possible, you should prepare and trim them properly.
Below are instructions for getting real “St. Louis-style” ribs.
This is what ribs look like at BBQ competitions all over the world.
Start by getting yourself a good, hefty rack of nice spare ribs.
Once the ribs are trimmed, you’ll find several ways to cook them in our collection of rib recipes.
Start by cutting off the “flap” as close to the bones as you can.
Now it’s time to remove the membrane on the bone side.
You do this so the seasoning can give flavor deep into the meat.
The membrane is also not something you want to chew on once the ribs are done, since it’s very tough.
Work a butter knife or something else blunt in under the membrane and loosen it carefully.
Then grab the piece you’ve loosened with a piece of paper towel.
Then carefully pull the whole membrane off the ribs.
Find the longest bone on the ribs and press the knife in there.
Cut along the rest of the bones to get a neat rack.
Now you’ve got a really nice rack of St. Louis-style spare ribs.
Save the pieces you cut off. There’s plenty of good meat on them.
I usually put them on the smoker and have them as tasters.