Country Style Ribs and Brining

Ive smoked these and grilled them and we seem to prefer smoking them for about 90 min's, then finishing them over charcoal with sauce. But I have smoked them entirely in the smoker and they are quite good. Because they are thinner (compares to the whole butt) they will smoke quicker. Sorry I dont have my notes here with me, but Im sure someone else has times. I usually smoke most pork & beef between 225 & 250. And have never brined them either, but I dont even brine fowl.

bob

Check at the top of this forum and in the turkey thread, you'll find Brining 101.

It's not so much that it's drier, but that it can dry out REAL quick if overcooked. Brining adds moisture and flavor and gives you a little bit of wiggle room with finishing temp.

Pork doesn't HAVE to be done, but is enhanced by doing it.

Pork chops do great with it. There just isn't much fat.

Huge pieces, like pork butts, would take to long to brine, but I know some that inject a brine to get it to work faster.

That being said, country style ribs are PB sliced up.

If you're up for it, I'd definitely brine them.

Try an experiment. Find a brine recipe and brine the ribs for 6 to 8 hours and some, don't brine. Compare them side by side to see if you like it, best way to know.

Welcome to the forum Bones!

First, know that "country style" ribs are nothing more than sliced pork butt. My first attempt at smoking them turned out dry. Way too much surface area, cooking too fast, thus, not tender. I remedied this by bunching them together and basically recreating the pork butt.

As far as today's pork being too lean, the only cut I would be concerned about drying out is the loin and tenderloin. Those can be injected or brined or even covered in fatty bacon. Key here is not to cook them to "well done."

You don't say what kind of a smoker you are using and I am assuming a CS electric.

Just my opinion & $0.02 worth. Others will chime in.