Wet vs Dry Ribs

smokinbubbaMember

Did a cook for Fathers Day. Cooked for 18 adults. I cooked 12 slabs of IBP loinbacks. I did six slabs Sat. and six Sun. The six from Saturday I reheated on the gasser using sweet baby rays sauce for about 20 min. The six I did Sunday I left Memphis dry style. Would you believe all the wet ribs went first????? I figured the dry ones would be a big hit. Whoda figured that??? My wife said she liked the wet ribs better. This is the first time I cooked with sauce as I really like a dry rib myself, but after sampling a wet rib I may also be a convert!!!!
Thanks Cookshack for opening my Q mind!!

6/21/048:39 PM

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Former Member

Hey Bubba,

I like both, but I prefer wet ribs. I just like that extra flavor the sauce gives. Now I don't drown mine in sauce, I still want to be able to taste the rib.

6/22/046:46 AM

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tomMember

Yep,the general public will almost always go for sweet,lots of sauce ,and falling off the bone.

The chains have conditioned them well.

Memphis is the rare town that was built around pork rib cooking and they still have a bunch of wet rib places.

6/22/046:52 AM

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robbilaurensonMember

BBQ is not really big here so most of my friends do not eat ribs regularly, in fact they mostly eat mine

.

However, despite the lack of 'conditioning' they prefer them foiled for an hour or so and wet, even after many experiments and variations which taste better IMO.

So I think it's not so much commercial Q joints that do the conditioning, but McDonald's. I mean, what can you say about a McDonalds burger other than it's soft and warm and needs a bunch of sauce to taste like anything? Reinforce this from toddlerhood and viola! Ribs sauced to death.

6/22/0411:11 AM

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Former Member

I have found at the comp cooks that the sweet and slightly wet ribs seem to place alot more offen than the dry spicy...just my .02

6/25/046:42 AM

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tomMember

That is probably true at most comps,but if there are all certified judges they get pretty picky about trying to hide your mistakes with sauce.

That being said,most need to be glazed or at least spritzed to give them a little shine/moisture.

6/25/047:09 AM

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Former Member

I agree Tom, unfortunately here in houston the judges are not all certified...although i certainly wish they were

6/25/047:43 AM

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smokenitalyMember

Back to rib school...how do you get more of a "memphis" dry finish on ribs. It almost like they dust after they come out of the smoker?
David

6/16/056:47 AM

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Former Member

It's just a thick coating. A LOT of the Memphis places actually add more rub after they're pulled off the smoker, kind of like salt & pepper would be applied.

No sauce, no nothing on the ribs, just lots of extra rub. That allows it to build up a crust (depends on the sugar in the rub)

6/16/0510:09 AM

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smokenitalyMember

Hmmmm?!?!?

6/16/051:05 PM

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Former Member

edited original email

6/16/053:20 PM

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tomMember

Yep,some of the places give you the rub at the table,also.

You can sprinkle it on corn,french fries,buttered bread,etc.