How to Barbecue Tender Ribs

There are some foods that I associate with certain seasons. Barbecue ribs, for example, are a summer food. So, with summer just around the corner, I'd like to share with you How to Barbecue Tender Ribs. My mouth is watering just thinking about juicy, succulent ribs!

First, start with your ribs. The popular choices are baby back and spareribs. Baby back ribs are smaller and generally more expensive. But the benefit to these ribs is that they tend to be naturally more tender because they're cut from the same place as pork chops and tenderloins. Spareribs are relatively inexpensive and come from the same place as bacon, so they tend to be a little meatier with more fat and, thus, more flavor.

Next is the flavor profile. This task can seem daunting because of the seemingly endless flavors. Honey garlic, sweet, spicy smoky; the list goes on and on. You can't go wrong. It's just a matter of taste. To achieve a harmonic blend, the best ribs are often layered with a rub, a mop and a sauce. (In case you were curious like me, a mop is usually a thin brown sauce almost like a gravy. The purpose of the mop is to replenish moisture more-so than to add flavor.)

If you are in need of some recipe inspiration you will want to take a look at this great recipe site. You will also find lots of how to's and tips for the kitchen such as techniques, test kitchen tips, food science, baking guide and grilling guide. Some of the recipes you will find on this site include Roast Chicken with Chanterelles and Peas recipe, Grape Clusters with Brie, Gorgonzola, and Honey recipe, Korean Barbecue at Home, A Kansas City Barbecue, A Game-Day Chili Menu, Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad with Aged Gouda and Sunflower Seeds recipe, Gluten Free pizza tart recipe, Barley Salad with Peas and Asparagus recipe, Millet Salad with Avocado and Citrus recipe, Spelt Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Zucchini, fruit crisp recipe, chocolate strawberry cheesecake, a British Gastropub dinner, bistro style dinner, a hearty soup and sandwich supper, Yucatan grilled fish tacos, grilled vegetable tacos with cilantro pesto, sardines Veracruz with roasted tomato confit and olive tapenade recipe and more. Some of the healthy cooking tips you will find are eating gluten free eating, a secret ingredient for healthier eating, the dish on fish, the raw deal and other tips.

Despite baby back ribs traditionally being more tender than spareribs, you can often achieve the same level of tenderness by simply adjusting your grill time. The smaller baby back ribs require about 3-4 hours of cook time whereas spareribs take 4-5 hours. This will still give your ribs a bit of �chew�, so for ribs that are fall-off-the-bone tender, allow a little more time for cooking (keep the heat lower and mop an extra time or two in order to hold the moisture).

More often than not, we see ribs placed directly onto the grill, however, using a metal rack (kind of like a plate rack) allows you to fit all the ribs on the grill at the same time and removes them, just a little, from that direct flame which helps to avoid actually charcoaling them.