Anybody ever brine ribs before smoking them?

Adillo303

Adillo303

*****
Thinking about ribs on the smoker this weekend. Was thinking of brining with apple cider, garlic and ...........?????

Any thoughts? If the idea stinks, please let me know that too.

TIA
 
I don't, Andy.

Typically, spares and babybacks have enough fat in them to be able to withstand the low and slow smoking without brining.

Just don't overcook them.

Lee
 
Well, I am a confirmed non-briner, so other suggestions would be to use a tasty marinade or a different finishing sauce.

Lee
 
LOL! You know, Andy, I ALMOST mentioned injecting, but I thought to myself, "nah, he wouldn't want to mess with that".

Here's my opinion: The "surface meat" to "inner meat ratio" of ribs is nearly to 1:1, depending on the thickness of your ribs. Therefore, you are certain to taste whatever flavor you put on the surface of the ribs in every bite.

I inject in order to get flavor and/or moisture deep into the tissues of large chunks of meat, like turkey breasts, beef briskets, and pork butts.

I do not inject ribs, but you certainly can if you want to play around with them.

Lee
 
It might be interesting to carefully inject flavorings right up against the bone...
flavorings DIFFERENT from whatever rub or sauce you use, but complimentary.
Then, theoretically, you'd get a burst of flavor....

Maybe a honey mustard injection with a smokey sauce or something....
 
Kimchee said:
It might be interesting to carefully inject flavorings right up against the bone...
flavorings DIFFERENT from whatever rub or sauce you use, but complimentary.
Then, theoretically, you'd get a burst of flavor....

Maybe a honey mustard injection with a smokey sauce or something....
Click to expand...

But wouldn't you get that with a marinade and then some sort of rub or sauce afterward? The marinade would infuse into the meat and the rub would be on the surface.

I did a side by side of three different kinds of ribs. One marinaded overnight in good apple cider (the thick stuff), garlic and black pepper, one packed with a rub over night, and the final one had nothing on them over night. All three had the same rub on them when they went on the grill.

Heads and shoulders above the rest were the ribs marinaded in the cider. Much more layers of flavor...
 
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Thanks for sharing the results of your side-by-side, GF! Always good to know that stuff!

Were the cider-marinated rubs sweet?

Lee
 
QSis said:
Thanks for sharing the results of your side-by-side, GF! Always good to know that stuff!

Were the cider-marinated rubs sweet?

Lee
Click to expand...

I couldn't tell you the exact rub but I tend toward the sweater rubs but I would say that you could go with sweet or not on the rub with the marinade. It was something like paprika, brown sugar, granulated garlic, chili powder, dried mustard type deal.
 
LOL! I should be embarrassed! It was my typo that started it!

I meant to ask, "Did marinating the RIBS in cider cause them to be sweeter than usual?"

Lee
 
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