Anyone marinade ribs?

[DATsBBQ]

I've always used a dry rub on ribs and let set overnight in the fridge. This method has served me well but when I apply the same principles with asian ingredients (EG Szechuan pepper corns, Star Anise, Ginger pwdr) the outcome hasn't anything to write home about. Almost like there was no rub at all. Which got me to thinking maybe I should go with a marinade or even a wet rub.

What does the collective think?

[bowhnter]

I haven't even let ribs sit over night with rub on, just rub n go.

But I remember seeing Primal grill a while back where Raichlen did up 4 different kinds of ribs, one being a Shanghai rub/marinade.

http://www.primalgrill.org/htdocs/ribs.html

It looks like you can watch the episode as well

http://www.primalgrill.org/htdocs/prima ... sodes.html

[DATsBBQ]

I haven't even let ribs sit over night with rub on, just rub n go.

But I remember seeing Primal grill a while back where Raichlen did up 4 different kinds of ribs, one being a Shanghai rub/marinade.

http://www.primalgrill.org/htdocs/ribs.html

It looks like you can watch the episode as well

http://www.primalgrill.org/htdocs/prima ... sodes.html

Looks like its a rub and BBQ sauce. The sauce looks good though but I'm still looking for marinade info. Thanks for the links

[BAR "G" BBQ]

Anytime I seasoned ribs the night before; the finished product had a ham taste to me. I normally season ribs spares/baby backs no more than 2 hours prior to going on the smoker. Well this past weekend I tried a marinate that was supposed to be the cats MEOW. Rubbed the ribs down with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs; more or less making it a wet rub and refrigated overnight. Saturday I put the ribs on the smoker bone down for two hours as is my normal routine, turned bone up at the two hour mark and planned on wrapping at 3 hours. At 3 hours the expermental ribs were mush. They looked like something that had decayed, thank goodness I did the other two racks with my normal rib season.

[bowhnter]

Looks like its a rub and BBQ sauce. The sauce looks good though but I'm still looking for marinade info. Thanks for the links

You're right, I read marinade, but didn't look at the recipe and see it is just rub.
See what ya get when I am on a conf call.

[DJ]

Nothing but a dry rub here and no more than 2 hrs prior to putting on the smoker. I never foil 'em or turn 'em either.
dj

[JamesB]

I too dry rub right before they go on the pit. After years of prepping the night before, I just couldn't tell the difference between that and doing it right as they went on the pit.

I'm sure if your using fresh herbs and more subtle flavoring components that an over night marinade would be beneficial. Never really tried anything like you mention, but it does sound good!

[Gator]

I use dry rub (only) while the pit is heating up.

[mgwerks]

I know this sounds strange, but just on a a whim I did ribs a different way last week. After cutting them St. Louis style and pulling the membrane, I brined them for about 6 hours, just to see what would happen. Once pulled and well-rinsed like after any other brine, I seasoned them as normal.

Since I anticipated they would be more tender than usual, I didn't leave them in the 225 degree smoker as long. Half the rack I pulled at 3 hours, the other half I pulled at 4 hours. The 3-hour ribs were delicious, still a little chewy left in them, and every bit as tasty as regular ribs done in 5. The 4 hour ribs were very tender and almost fell off the bone, without that mushy overcooked texture. Both half racks were very juicy and not dried out at all.

I wouldn't brine them any longer than that, and shorter might have done as well. But it definitely made a difference, and could shorten your cooking time if you ever needed to do that.

Just an idea for you all.

[DATsBBQ]

mgwerks,
Pretty interesting about the brine. Got that one filed away in the old brain housing group for further investigation.

bowhnter,
Thanks for the additional info you sent me. Sounds like it's something I can work with.

BAR "G" BBQ,
Never had it taste hammy to me except once when I didn't read the label until after the fact. "Enhanced with upto" x% of a solution that you needed a degree in chemistry to understand. Since then, its IPB ribs or I break out the reading glasses and study the package like a crib sheet before midterms.

DJ, JamesB and Gator,
I'll admit to not overnight, but I "feel" (and you won't hear me use that word too often) that I get a better flavor when I rub the night before.

But know that I don't slather. I "think" mustard is a waste of time, not that there is anything wrong with the practice. And I don't know if any of you do slather......kind of a don't ask/don't tell thing with me.

[Papa Tom]

Dats I have done a light rub wait overnight slather w/mustard more rub and into the pit and did like the results. Now one time don't equal proof of concept but it's a start. Now too that was the first and only time I have used mustard on ribs.

[DATsBBQ]

Dats I have done a light rub wait overnight slather w/mustard more rub and into the pit and did like the results. Now one time don't equal proof of concept but it's a start. Now too that was the first and only time I have used mustard on ribs.

Just saying I've done 'em both ways several times and didn't notice any difference in the outcome. So my thinking is 'why waste the mustard?" Just my very humble opinion.

[Papa Tom]

Yeah you cannot taste the mustard and it's effectiveness as glue is well up for debate. At that time I had a bunch of mustard left over from a gig that did hot dogs for the kids. And really that cheap mustard ain't a significant ingredient anyway.
BTW I've got another of those gigs coming up better go buy some more. The guy that's partnering with me on this insists on boiling that hot dogs then throwing them over the coals...... OK but I'm not going over to his house for ribs .

[OSD]

I rub ribs right before they go on the grill.
Tried the mustard a couple times and really didn't notice any difference.
Now brining ribs, well, if I wanted enhanced ribs, I would just buy enhanced ribs.
An Oriental type marinade for 4-6 hours sounds good. My question would be with ribs there isn't a lot of meat to absorb the marinade so how much flavor is gained. Maybe marinade and then glaze with an oriental sauce to gain the additional flavor??

This is a marinade we use for beef when making pepper steak, Maybe it or a variation of it would work for the ribs.

1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 cup Water
3 Tbs finely-chopped green onion
3 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp finely-minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs white sesame seeds, toasted and ground
1 Tbs sesame oil

[Papa Tom]

Hmmmm teriyaki might be good on pork.....