Brine + Ribs? Thoughts and Suggestions Please...

[LarryWolfe]

Based on what I am reading here....If a novice were to stumble upon this thread, he would boil his enhanced ribs in brine, then wrap them in foil with some of the boiling juice, and then put them on the smoker.

Anyway, from what I have read about brining is that it is a very similar process to making ham. It does change the structure of the protein. making it somewhat softer.

It was started when pork producers began growing hogs with very little fat. This produced a product that was not very appealing. The American public was starting to become heart heath concious and wanted to reduce the amount of fat eaten. Pork used to be much fattier and much tastier that it is today. The pork producers were not selling pork. Enhancing the pork made it SEEM tender even though there was very little fat. Enhancing brought back the tenderness by softened the meat and the pork producers started making tons and tons of $$$$$$$$$

Al

Excellent post Al! Where you been, you need to post more often!! Don't be a stranger!

 

[Uncle Al]

[quote="Uncle Al":3krrzjcu]Based on what I am reading here....If a novice were to stumble upon this thread, he would boil his enhanced ribs in brine, then wrap them in foil with some of the boiling juice, and then put them on the smoker.

Anyway, from what I have read about brining is that it is a very similar process to making ham. It does change the structure of the protein. making it somewhat softer.

It was started when pork producers began growing hogs with very little fat. This produced a product that was not very appealing. The American public was starting to become heart heath concious and wanted to reduce the amount of fat eaten. Pork used to be much fattier and much tastier that it is today. The pork producers were not selling pork. Enhancing the pork made it SEEM tender even though there was very little fat. Enhancing brought back the tenderness by softened the meat and the pork producers started making tons and tons of $$$$$$$$$

Al

Excellent post Al! Where you been, you need to post more often!! Don't be a stranger![/quote:3krrzjcu]

Hi Larry,

I've been lurking and sticking my 2 cents in where appropriate. I've also been busy selling tons of Q and sauce. Starting to think about going commercial with my BBQ sauce. Wanna try some? It's a sweet /hot Kansas City Style with a hint of apple and mollases. I sent some to Mr. Rempe a while back and he didn't like it. I have sold about 50 gallons of the stuff and he is the only one to not like it. Maybe it's a regional thing. He did like the rub though.

I'll post more often promise !!!

Al

 

[BigGQ]

Ditto what Larry said! Great post Uncle Al.

Sweet /hot Kansas City Style with a hint of apple and mollases?! Now that sounds really good!! Where can I get some AL'S WICKED GOOD BBQ SAUCE. I'd really like to try that.

 

[Nick Prochilo]

Al, bad post. Everybody here will try it if it's free! Drop me a PM, I'd try it and would purchase my sample!

 

[Captain Morgan]

yeah I'm coming around on the regional thing...I sent Bruce a bunch of
Carolina sauces, and I don't think he was real fond of em. But the vinegar
style is what I like on butts and hogs.. That said, I do like the thicker sauces on my ribs and in my beans.

If anyone comes up with a sauce or a rub that everyone in the bbq world likes, they're going to be rich.

 

[Griff]

If anyone comes up with a sauce or a rub that everyone in the bbq world likes, they're going to be rich.

I thought that was Larry and Finney.

Griff

 

[bigwheel]

Well think if a person wanted to extend the research a ways further back...they will find that brining or "corning" was a well practiced form of meat handling in place way before health conscious yups began demanding skinny hawgs for the americkan dinner table. Betta stretch back into the BC's to dig up the roots on this deal. Alton Brown did a great simplified expose on the science behind the process once upon a time on his TV show. Here is a link to cover a lot of whut he said about the process.

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/arti ... le=Brining

bigwheel

Based on what I am reading here....If a novice were to stumble upon this thread, he would boil his enhanced ribs in brine, then wrap them in foil with some of the boiling juice, and then put them on the smoker.

Anyway, from what I have read about brining is that it is a very similar process to making ham. It does change the structure of the protein. making it somewhat softer.

It was started when pork producers began growing hogs with very little fat. This produced a product that was not very appealing. The American public was starting to become heart heath concious and wanted to reduce the amount of fat eaten. Pork used to be much fattier and much tastier that it is today. The pork producers were not selling pork. Enhancing the pork made it SEEM tender even though there was very little fat. Enhancing brought back the tenderness by softened the meat and the pork producers started making tons and tons of $$$$$$$$$

Al

 

[Finney]

Well the finished texture of hawg bones is generally a function of the cooking...not a built in feature of the rib dependent on whether they was pumped or unpumped. Its real easy to get tough and chewy pumped ribs if thats whut a person desires. By the same token unpumped ribs can be turned falling apart and mushy if that be the goal. Now the hammy flavor I aint particularly noticed but since most folks love ham maybe that is why the pumped ribs make it into the winners circle mo often than their unpumped brethrens. Highest compliment which can usually be paid to a cooked rib is to proclaim.."That taste like bacon on a stick." So maybe you tasting bacon as opposed to ham. I cant imagine a resident of Ole Virginny who claim to not like the flavor of ham. That might could get a person lynched around Lynchburg

bigwheel

I agree about the texture, both can be screwed up by the cooking process if done improperly or too long!

If someone told me my ribs tasted like ham or bacon, I'd shoot myself in the head.

Don't get me wrong I love ham, especially Virginia hams. If I want to taste ham, I'll eat ham. If I want to taste a good rack of ribs I'll cook ribs! But I don't wanna cook ribs and have them taste like ham or bacon!

Larry, your ribs taste like hammy bacon. [smilie=sorry.gif]

 

[bigwheel]

Unpumped barnyard avians and pig parts do well with brining..if they aint already been pumped at the factory. If you start trying to brine pumped stuff it sorta like carry coals to Newcastle, TX..meaning they already got plenty of coals down there. If just generally serve only the grand purpose to make it too salty. Brined/pumped beef works well too in some applications..but very limited in scope. I dont eat dead sheep so I aint sure about that.

bigwheel