How to Prep BBQ Ribs

In this post, I am going to break down the process of getting your ribs prepped for BBQ. It doesn't matter if you are barbecuing, smoking, or cooking in the oven. The ribs still need a little attention.

For this demonstration, I am using Pork Spareribs, because that is what I found on sale. 

I prep my work area, by lining with a couple of plastic grocery bags. All the work prep will be right here, so clean-up will be a breeze.

The first thing we are going to tackle, is the removal of the silver skin. Silver skin is the tough membrane covering the back of the ribs. Just poke a slit, just under the skin. Slide your finger into the slit and begin working the skin loose. 

With a little patience, you should be able to remove the skin in one large piece. Practice makes perfect! 

There is a flap of meat, at the center of the ribs. Run your knife across the base of the ribs to remove.

Cut a slit, between each bone. This will help the ribs to hold their shape, during the cooking process. It also helps to cut them, prior to serving. If you look at the bottom section of meat, you will notice a triangular section. These are the rib tips. You can opt to cut them right now, and you would have what is referred to as, St Louis Style Ribs. I prefer to let them cook, on the slab, and cut once cooked. 

Since I am cooking the ribs, in the oven. I need to cut them in half, to fit my pan. If you have a full baking tray then you can leave them whole. If you are smoking your ribs, you can leave the rack whole. 

I like to season my ribs with a dry rub. Coat the ribs thoroughly, then let marinade for 4 hours, up to overnight, to allow the seasoning to soak into the meat.

These ribs have spent some time marinading, and the color has developed. It is time to double wrap the ribs. 

Then place on a baking tray, if you are cooking in the oven. 

In my next post, I will give the recipe for the dry rub, as well as, the cooking instructions.