help me please! i need to cook some beef ribs tonight!

[cleofus1]

my wife wants ribs tonight...i usually just make up my own bbq sauce...ketchup/corn syrup/worsteshire sauce/soy sauce/pepper/and whatever spices that are in the cupboard...then i slather it all over the ribs and put it in the oven covered with foil on low for a couple of hours....

anyone have any hints clues or suggestions? i'm so clueless....

[babylonsister]

1. I cook my pork ribs the same way, but

I dry rub them first and cook 'em low and slow for about 1-1/2 hours. Then I slather the bbq sauce on and recover for another hour. Then I uncover and slather more bbq on, and turn the oven up to get 'em nice and brown. Perfect every time, but the low and slow is key, I think. We now like ribs cooked this way better than on the grill because all the fat cooks off and they're fall-off-the-bone delish! :9

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Low and Slow cooking cautionary note

Low and slow, to be sure, produces some really epic meat. Tender and juicy and flavorful. I highly recommend it.

However .... ahem ..... it can also kill ya if you're not careful.

Okay, I hear ya out there, you doubting Thomases. What're ya smokin' there, Stinky?

The ideal temperature for slow cooking is the temp you want the meat to end up (140 to 180). The problem is, that's too low to kill certain bacteria. The other problem is that the environment while the meat is cooking is perfect for bugs to grow. And some could grow in sufficient numbers to be an issue.

Hence, this cautionary note. Make sure the surface of the meat is cleaned and indeed, sanitized. Wipe it down with vinegar. The acid is a good sanitizer and it is also an ingredient in many (most?) barbecue sauces. Alternatively, you could use alcohol. Booze. Hooch. Maybe some sherry. Some wine. Ideally, vodka. Again, it wouldn't have any sigificant affect on your recipe. Further, bug contamination can only happen on surfaces that come in contact with humans. The interior of the meat is as sanitary as can be. Only the surface is an issue. Hence the call for a simple wipe down with vinegar.

Simple, quick. Won't harm your recipe. Safe.

I highly recommend it.

[NMDemDist2]

3. what he said...

the State of Arizona in it's infinite wisdom decreed that a Latte Lady needed to know about shellfish and meat safety.... So I spent 2 days in a freezing hotel conference room learning how to stack a walk-in reefer

anywho... I learned a lot more than I cared to about the various bugs that live or grow on food and H2S is right.

Also now that it's outdoor dining season, remember to keep cold stuff cold too. It's a simple thing to float your famous Mayo Potato salad or chicken salad or any mayo based salad in a bowl of ice (just put ice in a larger bowl than the serving dish and let the serving dish float on the ice) So keep it safe this summer since a little food poisoning will ruin anybody's picnic or BBQ.

[cleofus1]

4. being a rebel at heart...

my internet was down yesterday...so i was not able to read this thread until this morning...

so i was on my own...

i just bought some BBQ sauce...put the meat in a foil lined roasting pan...drenched the meat in sauce...covered it with carrots and sealed the whole thing tight with foil...then i put it in a preheated oven at 450 degrees for 1/2 hour...then on low for 1 hour...then back on 450 for the last half hour...

sounds weird but it did come out fall off the bone perfect...the carrots were caramelized and the meat was delicious...