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Brine or marinate?

People marinate these cuts all the time for added flavor.

Brining is usually reserved for cuts with little fat to help retain moisture. Butts have plenty of fat, and ribs usually do too. And brining either in a traditional sense is likely to lead to a hammy taste.
This may be a little late, but I wouldn't put the rub on until no more than 2 hrs before you plan to start smoking the ribs. Overnight can give them the hammy taste mentioned. If you see this post tonight, you can always rinse the ribs, pat dry, let sit in the fridge overnight, then add the rub before the smoke.

If you don't see this until tomorrow morning, let them be and smoke as planned. The hammy taste comes from the salt in the rub, and you may be OK. Next time put the rub on 2 hrs. before the smoke.
I still like Costco for meat. I was surprised to read the label on the baby backs I got, packaged on June 20th, sell by date June 23rd. They seem to want their meat to go out very quickly. It sure seems to, the pack or spar ribs I got was the last single they had, packaged that day.
quote:
Originally posted by Gil:
Since brining works by osmosis, would a soak in plain cold water help pull out some of the salt solution from those "enhanced" ribs? Reverse osmosis at work. Might help, and I don't see how it could hurt, providing it is done in the fridge at 38deg or less.


Technically yes. Osmosis for brining is the issue of the salty solution "trying" to achieve equilibrium by moving from salty to non-salty.

the problem is left over flavor. The salt in the injection has already done it's thing, flavor wise, so not sure that you could "save" some enhanced ribs. Easiest is to not buy them.

BUT, if you buy them, cut back on any salty rubs.
Soaking them in fresh water will move water into the ribs, making them more soggy, but the brine solution would have no motivation to move into the fresh water.

In a normal brine process, the water of the brine moves into the meat because the cells of the meat have more dissolved substances, and are therefore more concentrated, or 'salty', than the brine solution. The brine water is actually trying to dilute the water present in the cells, and it happens to carry some of the brine flavor and salt with it.

A quick soak might dilute the saltiness a bit, but a long one would be more disruptive to the cell structure of the meat, probably cause it to lose moisture during the cook.
quote:
Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Technically yes. Osmosis for brining is the issue of the salty solution "trying" to achieve equilibrium by moving from salty to non-salty.

the problem is left over flavor. The salt in the injection has already done it's thing, flavor wise, so not sure that you could "save" some enhanced ribs. Easiest is to not buy them.

BUT, if you buy them, cut back on any salty rubs.


Yeah, the first batch of baby backs that I bought were in the 12% salt solution. That was before I read that I wasn't supposed to. Well, I had kept them for a couple of days and I didn't feel right trying to return them to the store. So I decided to cook them anyway.

I used just a very light dash of rib rub, then cooked them slow and long. After 5 hours, they were falling off the bone. However, they tasted exactly like cured ham. I ate them anyway, but I can't wait until my next try with fresh ribs.
quote:
Originally posted by Rex:
I have been told to marinate my ribs overnight in apple juice. Is this necessary?

Muffin


No.

Probably something someone read somewhere.

There are 1,000's of techniques, that's one that I don't do.

I get more flavor from the rub and the sauce I serve on the side, than apple juice (which is mostly water anyway)

Whoever told you to do that should be able to explain why they think that.
I have been overnighting mine in apple juice also. Before, I have been spraying very 30 minutes. Today I did two racks and only sprayed every hr andf they turned out good. I also did my first Brisket today and to my surprise it was better than the ribs, so with all the good help from people like you, maybe I will make the grade. Thanks
Rex
Thanks,
I have been using 10% AJ, Being new to smoking I try what I read. I have Karen Putmans Championship Secrets on smoking and just about every recipe in there says spray every 30 minutes with AJ for moisture. I have a water pan in my smoker and realy I think it provides enoug moisture, but every now and then I spray, but not every 30 minutes as I dont want to open the door that often. Since then, I cant really tell the difference. Thanks for your reply.

Rex in NC
That's the fun part, there are some many fans of so many methods.

Around here, we try to discuss them so you can form your opinion on how to best use them.

quote:
Originally posted by Rex:
..I have Karen Putmans Championship Secrets on smoking and just about every recipe in there says spray every 30 minutes with AJ for moisture. ...
Rex in NC


It's a technique, not an absolute. If you think about it, how much can it really help? You're spraying liquid on a hot surface and a large percentage will evaporate. Sure it will leave some flavor, but if you're using normally AJ which is mostly water, how much flavor.

And I believe that it won't help the "moisture" content of the product your smoking, it will only add some layer of flavor to the outside

If you want to do that, I'd suggest a mop which will put more flavor than spraying.

Also it will matter a LOT with your smoker. How humid is it, or is it not?

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