| Making great smoked barbecue ribs at your home is | | | | combinations according to the taste of the chef, but |
| fun, easy and delicious. All that is needed to make | | | | usually they have salt, pepper, sugar or other |
| great smoked ribs is a smoker, some ribs, a spice rib | | | | sweetening agent, and some hot pepper powder. |
| and some sauce. | | | | Recipes for barbecue rubs can be found in almost |
| To make real barbecue ribs like the competitors do | | | | every barbecue cook book. Most rubs are applied |
| at the barbecue contests, a real barbecue smoker is | | | | liberally, and allowed to stand on the meat for a few |
| required. There are a few different types of | | | | hours prior to cooking. |
| barbecue smokers. You can find one for less than a | | | | The ribs are then placed in the hot and smoky |
| couple of hundred dollars at any of the big box | | | | cooker, and allowed to cook for a period of time, |
| stores. Decide which is best for you, either an offset | | | | usually about four hours or so, depending on the size |
| smoker, a vertical smoker or a kettle (Weber grill) | | | | of the rack of ribs, and how hot the fire is. The ribs |
| type. You can even smoke ribs on a gas grill if set up | | | | are done when the chef wiggles a rib bone and it |
| for indirect heat and a smoke source is available. | | | | feels "loose". Experience will lead you here. |
| After the proper equipment has been acquired, the | | | | Remember to cook the ribs "low and slow" which |
| next item necessary is the meat. Most barbecue pit | | | | means over low heat, for a long period of time. Most |
| masters will use pork spare ribs, although some will | | | | barbecue pit-masters will apply a barbecue sauce or |
| use pork baby back ribs. Either choice is generally | | | | "mop" to their ribs the last hour or so, being careful |
| prepared the same way. First, the ribs are trimmed | | | | not to burn the sauce. Most sauces contain sugar, |
| of any fat, and the membrane like skin is removed | | | | which will burn easily, so care must be taken at this |
| from the bone side of the rack of ribs. The ribs are | | | | step. The ribs are then served with additional sauce |
| then coated with a barbecue spice rub, and allowed | | | | on the side, with a variety of side dishes. |
| to sit for a few hours prior to being placed in the | | | | As you can see, cooking up great barbecue ribs in a |
| smoker. | | | | barbecue smoker is fun and easy, and is something |
| Most barbecue rubs contain different spice | | | | most back yard chefs can accomplish. |