I haven't cooked many short ribs; too much effort and too little
return. Part of that is the fact I don't like stewed or braised meats
much. I am not a fan of "Mom's roast" except once in a great while,
or any other kind of meat that has been cooked into submission.

I don't braise or foil meats. I will only cook a traditional beef
roast in the oven for company, and only then for LOML's family. So
for me, it's pretty much nekkid on the pit or grill, and even in the
oven.

But I do have a "I'll grill or smoke anything once policy" that I have
maintained for 30 years and it has covered just about everything I can
get my hands on that walks, swims, flies, or slithers (snake is good,
but really overrated).

I found some short ribs that are cut by a small nearby butcher a
couple of weeks ago. Instead of the small bones with a little bit of
meat on them I see at the local supermarket, these shorts were cut to
be about the size of baseball to almost softball sized pieces. They
had a lot of fat on them, but a LOT of meat. It was too much to
resist at $1.99 a lb. The butcher told me that he cut them that way
because "that was the way he learned".

I really wanted to cook them on the smoker, but couldn't decide how to
do it. Finally, after examining the ribs closely out of the package,
I saw there was a LOT of fat on those as well as the meat.

So I put the ribs (6 of them) in a large bowl and gave them a good
coating of my brisket rub and let them set a couple of hours before I
put them on the WSM. I put them on at 275 - 285 degrees, which was
fine considering all the fat. Bone down, fat up to let the rendering
fat roll over the rib meat.

I had them in for 4 hours. They weren't done. Checked again at 5.
Not done. Checked again at 6. Almost. Checked at 7, and a fork
twisted the juicy meat easily. The bones were movable.

The meat was excellent. Served with garlic dill mashed potatoes and
vinegar slaw, they were a hit! The meat had a really intense flavor,
almost like it was aged. Almost all of the fat rendered off, and the
meat was just at sliceable after slipping out the bones.

Some observations:

I was surprised at how much fat those six little baseballs rendered!
Wow! Those six shorties gave more fat off than the >>17 lbs<< of
spares I cooked the weekend before! It was probably (literally) 2
cups of rendered fat!

They were enormously easy to cook. They took more time than I thought
they would, but worth the wait. No special prep needed, no foiling,
no sitting in a cooler wrapped in towels for a couple of hours, no
fiddling around/obsessing about maintaining 225 degrees, or any of
that other stuff. I actually don't do that stuff anyway, and probably
never will.

There can be a lot of meat on short ribs! Who knew?

I am thinking that like a fatty brisket, these could be very forgiving
on the smoker IF you got the right sized shorts. I may move on up to
300 - 325 or so on the next batch and see if it responds like a
brisket. I could cook more with less time, and at higher heat maybe
get a bit of crispy on them.

These would be easy to cook for anyone, regardless of equipment. Like
a pork butt, they have their own version of the "pop up timer". When
they were done, the meat pulled back from the bone as much as an 1 1/4
on each side of the bone. More importantly, the bone became a little
loose, which was easy enough to test. And using the classic fork
twist as a final test, it was a no brainer. Not thermometers needed,
and with a wide range of temps used to cook them, the big short ribs
should be easy for anyone.

I still wouldn't cook those little peewee sized short ribs I see at
the local supermarket. Too much work, not enough return. I think I
am hooked on those big boys, though.

Robert

On 3-Nov-2009, " > wrote:

.. . .

> There can be a lot of meat on short ribs! Who knew?
>
> I am thinking that like a fatty brisket, these could be very forgiving
> on the smoker IF you got the right sized shorts. I may move on up to
> 300 - 325 or so on the next batch and see if it responds like a
> brisket. I could cook more with less time, and at higher heat maybe
> get a bit of crispy on them.
>
> These would be easy to cook for anyone, regardless of equipment. Like
> a pork butt, they have their own version of the "pop up timer". When
> they were done, the meat pulled back from the bone as much as an 1 1/4
> on each side of the bone. More importantly, the bone became a little
> loose, which was easy enough to test. And using the classic fork
> twist as a final test, it was a no brainer. Not thermometers needed,
> and with a wide range of temps used to cook them, the big short ribs
> should be easy for anyone.
>
> I still wouldn't cook those little peewee sized short ribs I see at
> the local supermarket. Too much work, not enough return. I think I
> am hooked on those big boys, though.
>
> Robert

I have cooked beef back ribs many times, but I don't believe that
I've done any short ribs yet. I'll have to keep an eye out for some
of those fat guys you describe. The richness of beef ribs cannot
be overstated. When cooked just right as you describe, they need
nothing added except perhaps a little salt. With your rub already
in place, they would need nothing at all. Well, a bib does help
control the mess, but doesn't add much to the taste.

--
Brick (Youth is wasted on young people)

DH and i were just discussing these ribs today, Lee

--
Have a wonderful day

> wrote in message
...
>I haven't cooked many short ribs; too much effort and too little
> return. Part of that is the fact I don't like stewed or braised meats
> much. I am not a fan of "Mom's roast" except once in a great while,
> or any other kind of meat that has been cooked into submission.
>
> I don't braise or foil meats. I will only cook a traditional beef
> roast in the oven for company, and only then for LOML's family. So
> for me, it's pretty much nekkid on the pit or grill, and even in the
> oven.
>
> But I do have a "I'll grill or smoke anything once policy" that I have
> maintained for 30 years and it has covered just about everything I can
> get my hands on that walks, swims, flies, or slithers (snake is good,
> but really overrated).
>
> I found some short ribs that are cut by a small nearby butcher a
> couple of weeks ago. Instead of the small bones with a little bit of
> meat on them I see at the local supermarket, these shorts were cut to
> be about the size of baseball to almost softball sized pieces. They
> had a lot of fat on them, but a LOT of meat. It was too much to
> resist at $1.99 a lb. The butcher told me that he cut them that way
> because "that was the way he learned".
>
> I really wanted to cook them on the smoker, but couldn't decide how to
> do it. Finally, after examining the ribs closely out of the package,
> I saw there was a LOT of fat on those as well as the meat.
>
> So I put the ribs (6 of them) in a large bowl and gave them a good
> coating of my brisket rub and let them set a couple of hours before I
> put them on the WSM. I put them on at 275 - 285 degrees, which was
> fine considering all the fat. Bone down, fat up to let the rendering
> fat roll over the rib meat.
>
> I had them in for 4 hours. They weren't done. Checked again at 5.
> Not done. Checked again at 6. Almost. Checked at 7, and a fork
> twisted the juicy meat easily. The bones were movable.
>
> The meat was excellent. Served with garlic dill mashed potatoes and
> vinegar slaw, they were a hit! The meat had a really intense flavor,
> almost like it was aged. Almost all of the fat rendered off, and the
> meat was just at sliceable after slipping out the bones.
>
> Some observations:
>
> I was surprised at how much fat those six little baseballs rendered!
> Wow! Those six shorties gave more fat off than the >>17 lbs<< of
> spares I cooked the weekend before! It was probably (literally) 2
> cups of rendered fat!
>
> They were enormously easy to cook. They took more time than I thought
> they would, but worth the wait. No special prep needed, no foiling,
> no sitting in a cooler wrapped in towels for a couple of hours, no
> fiddling around/obsessing about maintaining 225 degrees, or any of
> that other stuff. I actually don't do that stuff anyway, and probably
> never will.
>
> There can be a lot of meat on short ribs! Who knew?
>
> I am thinking that like a fatty brisket, these could be very forgiving
> on the smoker IF you got the right sized shorts. I may move on up to
> 300 - 325 or so on the next batch and see if it responds like a
> brisket. I could cook more with less time, and at higher heat maybe
> get a bit of crispy on them.
>
> These would be easy to cook for anyone, regardless of equipment. Like
> a pork butt, they have their own version of the "pop up timer". When
> they were done, the meat pulled back from the bone as much as an 1 1/4
> on each side of the bone. More importantly, the bone became a little
> loose, which was easy enough to test. And using the classic fork
> twist as a final test, it was a no brainer. Not thermometers needed,
> and with a wide range of temps used to cook them, the big short ribs
> should be easy for anyone.
>
> I still wouldn't cook those little peewee sized short ribs I see at
> the local supermarket. Too much work, not enough return. I think I
> am hooked on those big boys, though.
>
> Robert
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

On Nov 3, 4:39*pm, "Brick" > wrote:

> I have cooked beef back ribs many times, but I don't believe that
> I've done any short ribs yet. I'll have to keep an eye out for some
> of those fat guys you describe.

Those were my first!

> The richness of beef ribs cannot
> be overstated. When cooked just right as you describe, they need
> nothing added except perhaps a little salt. With your rub already
> in place, they would need nothing at all.

You absolutely hit it right on the head. I wouldn't be disappointed
at all with S&P, and doubt much of my rub actually stayed on. Since
the rub wasn't on the meat long, the only spiciness I could taste that
I knew was my rub was the little lines of it where the rib sat on the
grate.

I think most of the rub probably dripped off with the fat.

I can't imagine a piece (or pieces) of meat much easier to barbecue.

Robert

wrote:

> I think most of the rub probably dripped off with the fat.
>
> I can't imagine a piece (or pieces) of meat much easier to barbecue.

True, if they're what I think.
Are "short ribs" similar to these? This page hosts a serie of pictures from
raw to cooked:
http://www.carnealfuoco.it/forum/ind...um=3&topic=701

I love to grill them over charcoal or, in winter or rainy days, just broil
them with the oven broiler. Usually I use very few herbs, just some fresh
minced rosemary and ground black pepper, and start adding salt when they're
almost done. Usually I cook them for 50 minutes to 1 hour at high temp like
they do in Tuscany with rosticciana, which is the same cut but with some
differences, expecially more meaty than what I find here.
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano

"Brick" > wrote in message
ster.com...
>
> On 3-Nov-2009, " > wrote:
>
> . . .
>
>> There can be a lot of meat on short ribs! Who knew?
>>
>> I am thinking that like a fatty brisket, these could be very forgiving
>> on the smoker IF you got the right sized shorts. I may move on up to
>> 300 - 325 or so on the next batch and see if it responds like a
>> brisket. I could cook more with less time, and at higher heat maybe
>> get a bit of crispy on them.
>>
>> These would be easy to cook for anyone, regardless of equipment. Like
>> a pork butt, they have their own version of the "pop up timer". When
>> they were done, the meat pulled back from the bone as much as an 1 1/4
>> on each side of the bone. More importantly, the bone became a little
>> loose, which was easy enough to test. And using the classic fork
>> twist as a final test, it was a no brainer. Not thermometers needed,
>> and with a wide range of temps used to cook them, the big short ribs
>> should be easy for anyone.
>>
>> I still wouldn't cook those little peewee sized short ribs I see at
>> the local supermarket. Too much work, not enough return. I think I
>> am hooked on those big boys, though.
>>
>> Robert
>
> I have cooked beef back ribs many times, but I don't believe that
> I've done any short ribs yet. I'll have to keep an eye out for some
> of those fat guys you describe. The richness of beef ribs cannot
> be overstated. When cooked just right as you describe, they need
> nothing added except perhaps a little salt. With your rub already
> in place, they would need nothing at all. Well, a bib does help
> control the mess, but doesn't add much to the taste.
>
> --
> Brick (Youth is wasted on young people)

Howard, if you can find them still in the rack you would be real happy. I
cooked them at the store. They came 6 bones to the rack (I think) and after
cooking they weighed about 1½ pounds per bone. I got $3.50 a bone.
Big Jim

"Sqwertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 3 Nov 2009 22:39:02 GMT, Brick wrote:
>
>> I have cooked beef back ribs many times, but I don't believe that
>> I've done any short ribs yet.
>
> Short ribs are the only beef ribs I'll cook. Next time I do them
> I'm going to do whole plates of them about 5 ribs by 12". They are
> thin in spots, but I'm I'll make them work.
>
> -sw

Squirts, I was able to buy them by the case. I think they had 6 bones to the
plate, came 4 racks to the case. Were 2 or more inches thick. I believe I
was paying $0.89 for them
Big Jim

On Nov 4, 6:09 am, "ViLco" > wrote:

> True, if they're what I think.
> Are "short ribs" similar to these?

No, they were the English cut, but really large in size. They looked
like this before the pit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/humming...te/3825888153/

Robert

On Nov 4, 4:09*am, "ViLco" > wrote:
> wrote:
> > I think most of the rub probably dripped off with the fat.
>
> > I can't imagine a piece (or pieces) of meat much easier to barbecue.
>
> True, if they're what I think.
> Are "short ribs" similar to these? This page hosts a serie of pictures from
> raw to cooked:http://www.carnealfuoco.it/forum/ind...ad&forum=3&top...


Those pics are of pork ribs, the ribs under discussion are beef.

Great looking forum "BBQItalia" love it, I know we grillers are
missing out on some Italian techniques and traditions.

"ViLco" > wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > I think most of the rub probably dripped off with the fat.
> >
> > I can't imagine a piece (or pieces) of meat much easier to barbecue.
>
> True, if they're what I think.
> Are "short ribs" similar to these? This page hosts a serie of pictures
> from raw to cooked:
> http://www.carnealfuoco.it/forum/ind...orum=3&topic=7
> 01

Great pics, Villi. I poorly translated the text as:

"Grillers beloveds I introduce you my prepared lunch in order to celebrate
this Sunday of Saint Martino. I have prepared of costs some of pig
simplest, but much generous of taste! We see the meat used Ben 2,4 kg of
fantastic meat together
We begin in rendering more cucinabile this cut eliminating the superfluous
fat person and the thin membrane that covers the boneses We crop well and
we gain this pezzetti to cook in direct baking We prepare with pepper
white man and knows them until a mixture that spalmeremo on the
massaggiandola meat Massaggiamo the meat Hour we prepare the marinatura
well the sauce for the marinata one is composed from extra oil vergine of
olive, knows them, the juice of a lemon, a spoon of chili pepper,
rosmarino fresh, a pair of juniper berries and one garlic segment. we join
all the ingredients and with a riding crop from kitchen we amalgamate all
in order then to pour it generous on the meat having cure to cover it all
Lasciamo Detail for 4 hours in frigo and after to have predisposed the bbq
for the indirect baking we put on the grill previously adminisered extreme
unction to it costs some we add towards the end of the baking ritagli
before obtained and we put them on the grill for a direct baking our costs
some for the lunch of Saint Martino ready are guaradate that that
beautiful…. I open a bottle of Barb “novello” and put in the plate costs
some with bagnet green typical of the Langhe made up of vinegar prezzemolo
a garlic and anchovies. Salsina and here ritagli hour sees gives the baking
close ..... ritagli in direct baking tries exceeded costs some marinate and
cooked in indirect
Spectacular sapore much pungente, but at the same time refined the
marinatura with the typical sapori of our beautiful country it has had
happened indescrivibile therefore like the green sauce… a Good Saint
Martino to all!"

> I love to grill them over charcoal or, in winter or rainy days, just
> broil them with the oven broiler. Usually I use very few herbs, just some
> fresh minced rosemary and ground black pepper, and start adding salt when
> they're almost done. Usually I cook them for 50 minutes to 1 hour at high
> temp like they do in Tuscany with rosticciana, which is the same cut but
> with some differences, expecially more meaty than what I find here.

What kind of charcoal, Villi? You want meatier ribs? Shoot yer own! Get
outfitted at: http://www.megaline.it/Default.aspx?lng=IT Prego!

--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Thank a Veteran!
Support Our Troops: http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten.
Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~ USMC 1365061

Nick Cramer wrote:

> Great pics, Villi. I poorly translated the text as:

Almost fitting. If some parts are unclear to you, just ask me.

> What kind of charcoal, Villi? You want meatier ribs? Shoot yer own!
> Get outfitted at: http://www.megaline.it/Default.aspx?lng=IT Prego!

Hey that place is 12km from here
I use "wood charcoal", aka "carbone di legna" (wood coal), like this.
Packages:
http://www.carbonlegno.it/x_Upload/I...23CIMG2509.JPG
The coals:
http://www.woodbusinessportal.it/upl...ucts/496.1.jpg

I love beef ribs but they are so uncommone here... the ones in nailshooter's
link are just what I find here when I ask and insist, cut from the part of
the rib where it's almost flat. Last time I had them, in September, I did
them on the grill and they were fantastic with just garlic and rosemary.
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano

"ViLco" > wrote:
> Nick Cramer wrote:
>
> > Great pics, Villi. I poorly translated the text as:
>
> Almost fitting. If some parts are unclear to you, just ask me.

Thanks, Villi. Getting the gist of it was good enough for me.

> > What kind of charcoal, Villi? You want meatier ribs? Shoot yer own!
> > Get outfitted at: http://www.megaline.it/Default.aspx?lng=IT Prego!
>
> Hey that place is 12km from here

But think of those wild boars in the mountains, waiting to be eaten!

> I use "wood charcoal", aka "carbone di legna" (wood coal), like this.
> Packages:
> http://www.carbonlegno.it/x_Upload/I...23CIMG2509.JPG
> The coals:
> http://www.woodbusinessportal.it/upl...ucts/496.1.jpg

That is some good looking charcoal, ualio.

> I love beef ribs but they are so uncommone here... the ones in
> nailshooter's link are just what I find here when I ask and insist, cut
> from the part of the rib where it's almost flat. Last time I had them, in
> September, I did them on the grill and they were fantastic with just
> garlic and rosemary.

That's all they need. I eat mostly pork and chicken, sometimes BBQ'd duck.
When I go off my feed, Jun'll buy me a steak or lamb chops. Less often beef
ribs or leg or shoulder of lamb. It's been over 50 years since I had a
roasted whole baby lamb.

--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/ Thank a Veteran!
Support Our Troops: http://anymarine.com/ You are not forgotten.
Thanks ! ! ~Semper Fi~ USMC 1365061