Last nights supper was smoked St. Louis style ribs, raw fried potatoes, and green beans. Ribs are from a supply vacuumed sealed and frozen. Green beans from the garden that were canned last August. Thawed the ribs in cold water and heated in the microwave to bring them to warm. Less than two minutes. Green beans warmed on the stove top to hot with only low heat. No boiling. Diced raw potato browned on the stovetop in a frying pan.
I have found raw fries brown and crisp better if the diced potatoes are oiled in a bowl, then added to a medium hot pan. The excess oil and moisture from the potatoes is left in the bowl. No oil makes it to the plate.
The couple next store have moved into assisted care and the family is emptying out the house. Out to the curb are boxes of old fashion canning jars with the metal bale over the top. I can get you a deal on some green beans. I would guess they are somewhere around sixty years old. Yum!
On a more serious note. I love doing ribs on the smoker. We have a simple Brinkman SS bullet shaped smoker converted from charcoal to electric. My wife got it years ago for free as a service anniversary award at work. It’s slow but in smoking slow is the way to go. I have never used another one and I’m sticking with it for now. I get the rub and sauce from http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/bbq-syracuse We can get the sauce by the gallon in a local store much cheaper. They won food networks best ribs in the country one year.
I started doing ribs on the gas grill. Results were good but getting good smoke and keeping the temperature down was difficult. Purchased the Camp Chef 40 smoker late last Fall. Works very well.
Previously posted picture of the smoker in operation.
This is my homemade recipe for the rub.
1/2 C chili powder
1/3 C light brown sugar
1 Tbs pickling salt
2 Tbs ground black pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
The first smoked ribs I ever tasted were from 17th Street Bar and Grill in Murphysboro, IL. We had read about the place in the Illinois tour guide so decided to stop there on a trip back from Georgia a few years ago. The ribs were excellent. Now I’m hooked on smoked ribs.
I do enjoy cooking meat on the charcoal grill. I have a way and system that I keep the temp near 225-250 for large pieces of meat. In fact, on memorial W/E I usually do a brisket, very slow, and I do put in a bunch of apple wood in the beginning as the temp of the meat is cold. I haven’t picked on any certain sauce yet, just a dry rub… Sneezles61
If the ribs (or most stuff on the smoker) aren’t done when I expect, I finish them on the grill if time is a factor. Wind and cold weather can slow down our smoker. As if it wasn’t slow enough. When I put on a Boston butt for pulled pork it goes on the night before and then we just check it in the morning. If it 's done it gets pulled and into the crock pot, if not wait some more.
