BBQ recipes, product reviews, & how-to's
This smoked pork belly recipe is an absolute must try for any BBQ lover! This pork belly brisket uses simple ingredients and cooks in less time than the traditional beef brisket. As a bonus, it also costs less. Let me show you the process. Watch…
Texas style smoked spare ribs are an absolute must for anyone who enjoys BBQ! All you need for this Texas style ribs recipe is smoke, salt, and pepper. In this recipe, I’ll walk you through the of making the best pork ribs! Ingredients for Texas…
Party ribs are the viral sensation in which ribs are cut into individual pieces and smoked, giving you that soft crust and saucy flavor on all four sides (instead of two). They cook faster this way, in only three hours. Serve them up for a party or for yourself!
Here are the ingredients needed to make BBQ party ribs:
There are two types of pork ribs: baby back ribs and spare ribs (the latter is what’s used to trim down to St. Louis ribs). The main difference is which section of the rib cage they come from. Baby back ribs are closest to the spine of the pig (hence baby “back”) and are shorter and curved. Spare ribs come from the sides of the pig and are longer and more straight.
Other differences are spare ribs have more meat between the bones and generally have more marbling (fat interwoven within the meat). Baby back ribs are leaner and have more meat on the tops of the bones.
Removing the membrane from baby back ribs is quite easy. Membrane can make the ribs chewy and tougher to bite through. Removing them allows for a more tender bite and more smoke flavor to hit them.
To remove the membrane, turn the rack on it’s front, with the membrane side up. Grab from underneath the center of the rack and pull up, with the rack forming an arch. On the thicker side of the rack of ribs, use your finger to pull back the edge of the membrane. As you start to get deeper, wedge another finger under the filmy substance work your fingers through to the other side of the rack.
With the center portion of the membrane loose, grab it with one hand and use your other hand to press down on the rib rack. Pull up on the membrane and it will peel off the rack on both sides completely. That’s it! No knife, no extra paper towels needed!
With the membrane now removed, cut the ribs into individual pieces. Each rack of baby back ribs should have 12 to 14 bones. I find it easiest to have the bones of the rack facing up at me so I can cut in between them easier.
With that done, apply mustard on the ribs, followed by the BBQ rub. I prefer to use Sweet Rub from Hey Grill Hey on these. Make sure to apply mustard and rub on all four sides of the ribs.
Make sure your grill is preheated to 250 degrees using indirect heat. I personally like cherry or pecan wood for these. Place the party ribs on the grill and make sure they’re not touching. Smoke for 90 minutes, flipping over once during the process.
To keep the ribs from drying out, spritz once with a mix of equal parts apple juice and apple cider vinegar. I mix two ounces of each.
Now here comes the fun part! After the ribs have smoked for 90 minutes, remove from the grill and place them in a foil pan. For this step, I make them like my brisket burnt ends recipe. Start by putting in four tablespoons of butter, three tablespoons of brown sugar, and two tablespoons of honey. Next, put in a half cup of BBQ sauce along with my secret weapon, four ounces of Dr Pepper.
Mix all the ingredients with the ribs together in the pan and cover the top with aluminum foil. Place back on the grill for a total of 90 minutes, removing the foil cover after an hour. Cooking the ribs uncovered for the last 30 minutes helps the sauce on the ribs set in and get sticky. Remove pan of ribs from the grill and let sit out for 15-20 minutes to cool down. This will also help the perfect level of sticky to set in.
Cooking the party ribs at 250 degrees during the process, the ribs are done when they reach an internal temperature between 180 to 190 degrees. This will make for a clean bite through.
If you prefer fall-off-the-bone ribs, cook them until internal temps reach between 190-205 degrees. At these temps, the meat will still be juicy and not dried out.
The best way to measure temps is to use a trusty digital thermometer like the Thermapen ONE from Thermoworks. I use mine on every single cook to get the best results.
Ribs are a great tasting protein that are awesome as a main dish. But they also pair perfectly with chicken! I have a smoked spatchcock chicken recipe that will compliment it well.
As far as sides go, smoked mac and cheese is the perfect for any BBQ! A cast iron skillet full of green beans, bacon, and onions will bring some balance to your plate.
St. Louis Ribs: A Complete Guide
Party ribs are the viral sensation in which ribs are cut into individual pieces and smoked, giving you that soft crust and saucy flavor on all four sides (instead of two). They cook faster this way, too!
Note: Nutrition information isn't always accurate.
Make the ultimate breakfast sandwiches in slider form! These breakfast sliders combine sausage, hash browns, eggs, and cheese all on toasted Hawaiian rolls. Dip in country gravy for the complete breakfast experience! Let’s walk through the simple breakfast recipe. Ingredients for Breakfast Sliders These breakfast…
These smoked meatball sliders on Hawaiian rolls are the perfect way to feed a family or small crowd. The combination of meatballs, marinara, and cheese make these sliders perfect for any weeknight meal! Ingredients for Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders Here are the ingredients you’ll need…
Inject some extra flavor into your burgers with this mouthwatering garlic bacon burger recipe! This recipe also includes a bonus recipe for a creamy burger sauce to compliment it. Let’s dig into the process.
The list of ingredients for this burger recipe is short and simple:
Start by placing ground beef in a medium-sized bowl. For the best flavor, use 80/20 ground beef for it’s perfect blend of beef and fat mix. Combine with two cloves of minced garlic. You can use the minced garlic from the jar, but freshly minced garlic will provide a more profound taste.
Next, dice two strips of precooked bacon and put into the bowl. Raw bacon won’t fully cook in this mixture and could make you sick. Precooked bacon not only brings a little more salty taste, but also adds a nice, subtle crunch. Add a couple of teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of Montreal steak seasoning and start mixing.
To make a quarter pound beef patty from your pound of beef, grab one-fourth of the ground beef and roll into the shape of a ball. With the ball of beef in one hand, gently press down until the beef is a flat, one-inch disc. Seal up any breakage along the edges by pinching the beef together and reshaping.
Pro tip: press a dimple into the middle of the burger patty on both sides. Doing this will prevent the burger from thickening in it’s center while it cooks. When a burger patty cooks, it shrinks. And as it shrinks, it naturally builds up toward the center, forming a thick mound. This keeps the burger from cooking evenly.
When it comes to cooking burgers, I prefer to have a more even crust on both sides of the beef patties. This is why I prefer to cook burgers on a griddle or in a cast iron skillet.
However, cooking on the grill over direct heat brings a flame-broiled flavor that a griddle cannot duplicate. Ultimately, it’s a matter of your preference and what you have access to.
With the griddle preheated to medium heat, place patties on the heated surface and let cook for about five minutes. With burger patties freshly on the griddle, top the burger with more seasoning.
After five minutes, flip burgers over and cook for an additional five minutes. Two minutes before time is up, add a slice of Gouda cheese to each patty to let the cheese melt on top. To enhance the cheese melting process, cover burgers with a metal mixing bowl.
Remove the garlic bacon burgers from the grill and place directly on a hamburger bun. Speaking of hamburger buns, place them face down on griddle for 30 to 60 seconds to get them nice and toasty.
Compliment any burger with this irresistible burger sauce! The ingredients are as follows:
Add all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir altogether and spread on the insides of the hamburger buns. This burger spread adds a salty, slightly sour taste with a hint of sweet and crunch.
Burger toppings are in the eye of the beholder. Classic toppings include lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion. Ketchup and mustard are the most popular sauces to put on a burger.
For this recipe, burger sauce and grilled onions are perfect for me!
Some classic side dishes to serve with burgers are as follows:
Five Guys Copycat French Fries
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers w/Chorizo
Inject some extra flavor into your burgers with this mouthwatering garlic bacon burger recipe! This recipe also includes a bonus recipe for a creamy burger sauce to compliment it.
NOTE: Nutritional information isn't always accurate.
Breakfast burritos are one of my most favorite things to eat on the planet. Turns out they are super simple to make, too. This chorizo breakfast burrito recipe will be one that you will keep coming back to! Let me show you the details. What…
This bacon jam recipe is so easy and makes the perfect topping for burgers and appetizers! Follow these easy steps to make this game changing topping! What is in Bacon Jam? Bacon jam is a perfect blend of sweet and savory. Bacon jam ingredients include…
Smoked prosciutto wrapped Brie is the perfect appetizer for all types of gatherings, from formal to casual. Only three ingredients and 30 minutes on the grill!
This smoked appetizer recipe is so simple you could jump to the recipe card and call it good! But I’ll quickly walk you through the process.
First things first, preheat the grill to 300 degrees with indirect heat. Hickory wood is preferred, but use the smoking wood of your choice.
In a 6” cast iron skillet, lay out six strips of prosciutto, with tips of one end starting in the middle of the skillet. Place wheel of Brie in middle, top cheese with fig jam, then fold opposite ends of the prosciutto on top.
Place prosciutto wrapped Brie in grill for 30 minutes. Don’t have a grill to smoke on? You can easily make this in your oven, but there will be no smoke flavor.
After 30 minutes on the grill, the smoked Brie wrapped in prosciutto with fig jam is ready to remove! Use a spatula to easily transfer from the cast iron skillet to your serving space. I usually put this smoked appetizer on a cutting board. This can be served up immediately.
Serving typical charcuterie board items, such as a sliced baguette, crackers, and fruit such as strawberries and apples are perfect for this dish!
Prosciutto wrapped Brie is the perfect appetizer for all types of gatherings, from formal to casual. Only three ingredients and 30 minutes on the grill!
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
This smoked queso dip recipe is the ultimate party dip your chips can’t stay away from! Easy to follow instructions for the best dip you’ll ever make! What Goes Into this Smoked Queso Dip Recipe? This smoked queso dip recipe consists of eight ingredients and…
