BBQ gurus. Please help.

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surfinsapo

Master Chef
Joined
Jun 6, 2007
Messages
5,044
Hey yall. I got two racks of babybacks from the navy base and smoked them today on the WSM as usual, but they tasted and looked like ham... What caused this? The package said enhanced with 10% water and seasalt. any comments welcome.. What a waste of money.. I put half of them in a pot of pinto beans.....

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Ham colored and flavored ribs
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Salvaged for a pot of pinto beans
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You'll find your answer in the 10% enhanced. They've basically been cured. The enhance is a very high salt solution and leaves the ribs tasting like ham. Also a good deal for the merchant as they get to charge meat prices for salt water. I don't buy anything enhanced.

Did you also by any chance use a high salt rub on your ribs and allow to sit for a few hours or more before cooking. That would also give the rubs a hammy taste.
 
I didn't let them sit out too long with rub on them.. It must have been the 10% salt water crap.. Man they tasted weird. I only tasted them. Oh well.. I better get more canned laughter for this video... :D :D :D
 
Ouch! I would hate that after all that work.

But it sure is a good lesson for the future.

Thanks for posting it.
 
Well I dont know why yall are naggin about the ham flavor. Ham tastes good. I dont do bb's but I buy only strictly enhanced spares Hormels if available. They mo like bacon on a stick but maybe a little hammy too. The judges like em will testify on that score. Now they could have also slipped a little cure in those rubs too. Some misguided folks think that is a good idear for some reason. Mainly yankees of course.

bigwheel
 
The reason they tasted like ham is because you didn't use WRO on them! :LOL:

Like Dallas said, they're enhanced. :roll:
 
I'm with Big Wheel. I think you'll find that most people who don't frequent BBQ boards actually prefer the taste of enhanced ribs over regular ribs. Kind of like fall off the bone ribs. BBQ types claim they are over cooked - but your neighbors will love them. I guess it all depends on what a person is trying to accomplish. Cooking enhanced ribs with no additional rubs makes for a real crowd pleaser. The other "purpose" of enhanced ribs is that they are more forgiving - in that they come out more tender more often.

With all that said, it looks like you put them to real good use!!!!
 
monty3777 said:
The other "purpose" of enhanced ribs is that they are more forgiving - in that they come out more tender more often.

That's exactly why meats are enhanced.... Because the general public will generally over cook meats.
 
All I know i better read next time because I don't like that flavor on ribs.. Thanks yall...
 
I hate enhanced meat. I can tell a huge difference when I have used it.

Larry, cant wait for the WRB my wife ordered for me for Xmas. Good stuff.

On edit: Recieved my 4 bottles yesterday!
 
hello sappo :)-

Yer choice was like they said was treated... go to a butcher and get to know his and his kids and dog... your friendship will get the freshest meat around... no extras ans more meat. IMHO spares are best as they have lots of meat and the extra of rib-tips for munchin on an hour after you start cooking, and darn good for beans(less cutting). them tips and a couple of ribs fills up most folks making your spread go farther. Then you add some ABT's and Moinks and Fatties...WOW!
I know i've said everything everybody said but it good advice...high dollar clients or not, everybody likes tid-bits as soon as they get to a party... :idea:
 
I would also add that the majority of the general public doesn't know that you have the option of getting enhanced or fresh meats. They just buy what's on the shelf and figure that's the only choice they have!

Of course, us fancy sophisticates know better than that!! :D :D :LOL: :LOL:
 
I just bought what was on the shelf since 2 weeks before my boss got some baby backs at the same commissary on the base and they rocked and didn't taste like ham. I can't believe that there are people out there that can't tell the difference tasting these enhanced ribs. I took one bite and it was over.I was cutting it for the video and that dark red meat with no smoke ring raised a red flag quickly.. Now I must say that they taste great mixed with pinto beans, but so does salt pork.... :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
 
I had a similar thing happen at a contest with some butts I was smoking. I got rushed and didn't even look to see if they were labled enhanced, as there were only 2 butts in the whole town, as far as I could find. Needless to say it was as close to a DAL as I have ever been. Second to last, and it would not suprise me if last place was a DQ'ed entry. Sad thing I got 1st place pork the previous contest just 2 weeks eariler.

It's my own fault waiting so long to pick up my meats. I go ahead and buy my poultry and pork a day ahead. Brisket I might buy even sooner, if I have my fridge working in the storage building.
 
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