# Barbecue sauce on ribs or not?



## frenchguycooking (Apr 9, 2013)

Hello guys,

I was planning on cooking ribs on the barbecue. I usually make a dry rub before putting them on the grid. They will cook for 2 hours - 3 hours (i am not sure ).

The question is : Do I put the barbecue sauce on the ribs : 
- 1hour before the end ? 
- 30 min before the end ?
- 15mn before the end ?
- after the cooking, before serving ?

Thank you for your advices

Gab


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## no mayonnaise (Apr 9, 2013)

BBQ sauce only goes on at the table.  The ribs should be good enough to eat without sauce.  That's my humble opinion.


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## forty_caliber (Apr 9, 2013)

You've got the right idea...sauce should go on near the end. 

The answer is "it depends".  How hot is your smoker?  How much sugar is in your sauce?  Are you set up for direct heat or indirect heat?

Indirect heat:
225 F - 1 hour
300 F - 20-30 minutes
350 F - 10 minutes. 

The sauce should caramelize and thicken but not burn. 

.40


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## pacanis (Apr 9, 2013)

.40 has it right. Depending on how much you want the sauce to cook in or caramelize is how much before the end you put it on. And that depends on how hot your grill is, or whether or not you are cooking indirect or direct. I typically grill ribs indirect, but if the sauce isn't to my liking and everything is done (in other words I want to hurry the sauced ribs up) then I will move them over direct heat and watch them carefully so the sauce doesn't burn.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Apr 9, 2013)

I'm another "sauce at the table" guy.  I typically serve three different bbq sauces with my ribs.  That way, the person eating the ribs gets to decide which kind of sauce they will use.  Just make sure the ribs are tender and juicy, with great smokey flavor.  Your rub will be good enough to make the ribs great, with or without the additional sauce.

And in my opinion, stay away from baby-back ribs.  Go for the meatier, St. Louis style ribs, or even might I say (gasp!) country style ribs, which aren't really ribs at all, but are darned tasty.

My personal favorites, St. Lois Ribs, rubbed and set overnight in the fridge, then slow cooked until tender in a slow cooker, then finished on the grill with indirect heat and maple wood smoke until they nearly fall off the bone, but have just a little tooth to them.

Serve with fresh corn on the cob, and a wet and juicy cole slaw.  Rice or mashed potatoes, again, it depends on the mood.  Or, replace those last two sides with some home-made baked beans.  Finish up with a refreshing bowl of ripe, cold cantaloupe.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Steve Kroll (Apr 9, 2013)

When or if sauce goes on is a regional preference in the US. I don't have a smoker, so I make ribs in the oven until they are tender and then finish them on the grill using indirect heat to get a nice char and some smoke flavor. I put the sauce on for the last 5 minutes or so. If you put it on too early the sugar in the sauce can end up tasting burnt.


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## CraigC (Apr 9, 2013)

I use a dry rub and mop during the cook. Sauce is always an individual choice at the table.

Chief, I have found some pretty meaty baby backs on occassion which can hold thier own against St. Louis cut spare ribs.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Apr 9, 2013)

CraigC said:


> I use a dry rub and mop during the cook. Sauce is always an individual choice at the table.
> 
> Chief, I have found some pretty meaty baby backs on occassion which can hold thier own against St. Louis cut spare ribs.



You must have better pigs where you live.  At our supermarkets, the meat on the baby-backs is pretty sparse.

Now maybe if your talking baby-back lamb, or beef...

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## frenchguycooking (Apr 9, 2013)

Thank you very much for your answers. 

Just to sum things up, my options are :

- to let the meat speak for itself. Put the bbq sauce on the table because the meat itself should be good.

OR

- to spread sauce several minutes before the end of cooking time, depending on the heat I chose. (but always indirect, right?)


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## Andy M. (Apr 9, 2013)

Yes, always indirect.

You may want to try an experiment and apply sauce to some of your ribs and leave the others unsauced.  Then you can do a comparison of the two options.


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## frenchguycooking (Apr 9, 2013)

Andy M. said:


> Yes, always indirect.
> 
> You may want to try an experiment and apply sauce to some of your ribs and leave the others unsauced.  Then you can do a comparison of the two options.



I am on it ! Thanks...


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## chopper (Apr 9, 2013)

This is how i make my ribs.  No sauce needed.  I think this video has been on here before, but it is a fun one to watch anyway, and great ribs!

YouTube

I also like ribs with BBQ sauce, and like it served on the table, but like I said, the way this guy does it is my favorite!  We just had these on Sunday.  There is only one rib left for my snack today.


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## pacanis (Apr 9, 2013)

chopper said:


> There is only one rib left for my snack today.


 
You saved one rib??? 

I wish I had willpower like that.


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## frenchguycooking (Apr 9, 2013)

chopper said:


> This is how i make my ribs.  No sauce needed.  I think this video has been on here before, but it is a fun one to watch anyway, and great ribs!
> 
> YouTube
> 
> I also like ribs with BBQ sauce, and like it served on the table, but like I said, the way this guy does it is my favorite!  We just had these on Sunday.  There is only one rib left for my snack today.



This looks totally delicious. I have kept the recipe in my favorites ...


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## chopper (Apr 9, 2013)

pacanis said:


> You saved one rib???
> 
> I wish I had willpower like that.



I just ate it!  It was SO good!


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## chopper (Apr 9, 2013)

frenchguycooking said:


> This looks totally delicious. I have kept the recipe in my favorites ...



You can't go wrong FG!  Try it soon, you won't regret it!


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## Steve Kroll (Apr 9, 2013)

chopper said:


> This is how i make my ribs.  No sauce needed.  I think this video has been on here before, but it is a fun one to watch anyway, and great ribs!
> 
> YouTube


Great video and the finished product looks delicious, but that dude needs a sharper knife, lol! It was almost painful watching him prep that slab of meat.


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## chopper (Apr 9, 2013)

Steve Kroll said:


> Great video and the finished product looks delicious, but that dude needs a sharper knife, lol! It was almost painful watching him prep that slab of meat.



I could hardly see the knife.  The meat is so good looking.  If it helps, when we made them Sunday we used a good sharp knife to cut them.


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## frenchguycooking (Apr 10, 2013)

chopper said:


> I could hardly see the knife.  The meat is so good looking.  If it helps, when we made them Sunday we used a good sharp knife to cut them.



You are right ! the meat looks very good indeed...


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## Roll_Bones (Oct 19, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> You must have better pigs where you live.  At our supermarkets, the meat on the baby-backs is pretty sparse.
> 
> Now maybe if your talking baby-back lamb, or beef...
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



The baby back ribs at Costco have more meat than any other rib cut they sell.  In fact, they have so much meat, they look like little rib chops when you cut them up.
I think the amount of meat behind the rib bone is directly tied to the one doing the trimming.
The amount of meat between the rib bones is inherited. 



Andy M. said:


> Yes, always indirect.



Many professional outdoor cooks like to use the indirect method until the ribs are tender and done.
They will then, move the ribs to direct heat to enhance/produce the bark.
It is at this time, sauce can be added.
For the record, I prefer to serve the sauce on the side at the table.
Occasionally I will sauce baby backs at the end of cooking.


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