Direct Heat Ribs: The Superior Method?
Go to sponsr.is/zb_madscientistbbq or scan the QR code and get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic by using my code MADSCIENTISTBBQ at checkout. Thanks to ZBiotics for sponsoring today’s video!
------------------------------------------
MORE MAD SCIENTIST BBQ:
madscientistbbq.com/
Patreon: / madscientistbbq
Instagram • / madscientistbbq
X • / madscientistbbq
Facebook • / madscientistbbq
------------------------------------------
My favorite thermometer:
Thermapen One • www.avantlink.com/click.php?t...
------------------------------------------
MY AMAZON FAVORITES:
All in one spot: www.amazon.com/shop/madscient...
WAGYU Beef Tallow • amzn.to/3Ce9Uqj
PORK LARD • amzn.to/45Le8TP
Black Nitrile Gloves • amzn.to/3SReUe5
Cotton Glove Liners • amzn.to/419NP8d
Food surface sanitizer • amzn.to/47QEyE7
Fire cups • thebbqhq.com/products/fire-cu...
Warmer Option 1 • amzn.to/40UJMwf
Warmer Option 2 • amzn.to/46xU6LP
Knife sharpener • amzn.to/3RebWPx
Trimming/boning knife • amzn.to/3uxQhcj
Slicing knife • amzn.to/3GdDPkz
------------------------------------------
Please email info@madscientistbbq.com for business inquiries.
Filmed and edited by Erica Yoder / ericacyoder
Some of these links are affiliate links. If you use them, I'll receive a commission and it will help me make more free content like this for you guys.
Go to sponsr.is/zb_madscientistbbq or scan the QR code and get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic by using my code MADSCIENTISTBBQ at checkout. Thanks to ZBiotics for sponsoring today’s video!
Lol, your little dig at Brad with the foil "raft" was hilarious 👍
😂
That wasn't a message to Brad. That was a message to Goldee's BBQ. They gave Brad a hard time for using it on his channel. It's like a drama series.
The pit barrel cooker is my favorite way to cook ribs.
I thought he was gonna be standing in front of a 55gal drum grill with a brew in his hand cooking them ribs over direct heat/fire like everybody's daddy used to do it. Straight charcoal, no wood, and no foil, just tongs or a big ass fork. LOL
Nice tough ribs with burnt on sauce, those were the days lmao
Me too homie. Exactly the reason why I clicked this.
Same 😂
If he don’t have on leather sandals while grilling, I don’t want em.
That was my thought as well.
I like to use a WSM without a water pan. This is almost the same method. I live in the Mississippi delta and direct heat is the most common method that you will find here.
I am originally from Mississippi. You remind me of my brother friend, Carden.
With you on using the WSM without a water pan. I like the direct heat/flame methods, texture and flavor.
Same. The WSM without the water pan means fat smoke. I’m planning to do a brisket and some ribs on the WSM 22” weekend after next.
I use my pit barrel for ribs. I find it gives the best combo of smoke and that fat over coals taste. It’s really all I use that thing for.
One method I don't see anyone talk about for ribs is rotisserie. I have a Weber kettle with the extension ring and rotisserie kit, as well as a basket for the rotisserie. I'm able to use my coals off to the side so the heat is a bit more indirect and they seem to come out great. I also use a wireless thermometer to watch temperature without having to keep opening it.
I just got the Pitts and Spitts direct fire grill and did a low and slow 3 lbs picanha direct heat and it was amazing. Going to try your ribs on it this weekend. The Pitts and Spitts is great cause you can raise and lower the charcoal grate as needed to change temp. Love it.
Sweet vid. The first thing I cooked up on my new TMG Dumpster....Spare Ribs. To me, wrapping is going to subdue the amazing texture (bits of a crisp bark) you get with direct heat ribs. I cooked my ribs around 300F for 3 hours total time, totally nekkid - no wrap - until they had the right flop I was looking for. Cooked with SPG on two racks, and Kinders BBQ Rub on two others, directly over a bed of coals with a small kiln dried white oak split thrown in about every 40 minutes or so. No baffle plates. No diffusers. Didn't score the membrane - they cooked right over the fire and coal bed**** The texture and flavor, the oaky smokiness, the fat-burn smokiness, the smoke ring itself - everything was on point with that cook. If I could dream up the perfect rib, THAT direct heat rib cook was it. ...Which rub was better? Didn't matter. They were both outstanding. Direct heat ribs just hit different... Next time you do a rib cook - get rid of all the fussiness, and try it without the wrap, no baffle plates. Just over coals and a small oak split every 40-45 minutes. Let the temps wax and wane between 275F and 350F as you stoke up the fire when needed. ****note! when I do a brisket, that's when I'll add a couple of water pans on the lower pullout rack as a baffle for a long low and slow indirect smoke cook. Waiting for the cold Wisconsin temps to stabilize around 60F for the entire day before I give it a whirl. :)
We have been doing this method on Gateways for the past 5 years... Love it!
This was what was so awesome when I was using an 85gal ugly drum. You have the smoke from the wood chunks and the fat dripping in. It was fabulous.
Thank you for this video. I hope you will do more on this cooker. You are great! What kind of charcoal and how did you build your fire under the non-wood side?
That Smokeslinger is awesome.
That's the method I use when I am in a rush. It never disappoints.👍🏾
Right on
Awesome video man. I’ve been grilling ribs similar to this for years. I wanted a way to grill ribs after work without smoking them for 5 hours. They always come out amazing!
Out camping one time we dug a pit and used the dead wood laying around, got a good bed of coals then wrapped the ribs in foil and buried them in the coals, don't remember for how long but they were the best ribs I've ever had.
I have the larger 32x40 Smokeslinger, I love using it! I haven't fired up my LSG offset since I got the smokeslinger. I was surprised when I learned I could use full wood splits to run it and get a clean burning fire. A few other things I love is how quickly it gets up to temp. I have even hung ribs in it like I would in my Pit Barrel cooker. Im loving the process of learning & mastering all the different things you can do with the Smokeslinger. Hopefully, we will get more videos of you using the smokeslinger, I'm sure a brisket cook is in the works.
Definitely more cooks with it in the future
How would you do this style of ribs with the Burch Barrel? Could you do it without raising the grill up on the pulley?
I'm a Kettle guy. SnS insert to keep things tidy. A chunk of cherry, a chunk of pecan on a bed of lump charcoal. 275-300 on the dome. Don't matter on the rub. From SPG to whatever your heart desires... same with the sauce. Dry, mopped, slathered... it don't matter. They just taste damn good.
Weber Kettle?
@@missinbrain Napoleon for me. Canadian designed for a Canadian guy. TBH, if I had a re-do, I'd go Weber.
@@GrizzAxxemann Nice. My Weber doesn't turn any heads, but with the slow-n-sear I can pull off some wicked food and everyone is like "what is this seasoned with?!" and I'm always like "salt, pepper, garlic powder, and the magical Weber"
Hey hey! Smokeslinger gaining street cred. I have a Smokeslinger offset. Built like a tank and runs like a dream. A lot of fun. 😊
It seems like you're always trying new things and these happen to be your "very favorite ribs in the entire world." I think that's absolutely fantastic and I love learning new ways to make food better. Would you be willing to do a video or otherwise share what it is that you've done/tried in the past which ended up being a failure? As a scientist myself I find that we sometimes learn better by our failures than successes. Thanks for all the great videos. Been watching them for years now.
It’s hard to beat the flavor of anything when it’s cooked over coals like that. Thats why drums are ever so popular now in comps. Hot n fast and great flavor. Great video Jeremy.
Direct heat ribs is amazing. have a pit barrel cooker who I love. and also done them on my Josper grill! Its as you say, Amazingly good!
I've been a Sweet Baby Rays fan for a long time, but this last summer I tried some Blues Hog and I was hooked. For me it was and is the best!
Blues Hog Smokey Mountain 💯
Man, i forgot all about BH! They're really good.
I’ve had a Smokeslinger for over a year now and can honestly say it produces the best bbq I’ve ever had. Ribs and pork steaks are my favorite thing to cook on it but it makes great brisket and pork butt too.
Love your work. Ran into you at Buc-ees one night in Temple, Tx. I was wondering, if you have used the new Old Country Gen II offset. I was checking them out the other day.
Those are some wonderful looking rib rafts right there
Just got my first direct heat smoker; can’t wait to try ribs on it. 🔥🔥🔥
Rock on!
Oh that looks amazing!!! Thanks for doing this video. Have you tried rotisserie ribs!!??
Love the video Jeremy!
My favorite way to cook ribs... if you are rolling the foil down to glaze, I guess it's a raft... I do it for less mess and ease of handling. Great job.
Need to see a barrel cooker comparison video!
Wow, that cooker is real science. I did this on a Roesle Watersmoker (without the waterpan) and the ribs were great.
I have a hasty bake and it works for me for ribs and briskets in cooking this way!
Another GREAT Video Jeremy. Would you suggest direct heat from a Gas Grill (With a Smoke Box, or Smoke Tube) for similar results using this method?
Those ribs look Absolutely Delicious! I Love using Sweet Baby Ray’s original BBQ sauce! I like to thin it with Peach Brandy or any kind of Peach alcohol! If I ever get my mobility back and I can get out of the nursing home, I wanna try this hot and fast method! My wood preference when smoking ribs is apple, cherry, or sassafras for smoke and oak for heat! Love your videos! God Bless!
Great video buddy, thank you.
Nice! Gonna have to try this!👍
I do my ribs similar to that on the Weber kettle. They turn out so good.
But do you put the charcoal directly under the meat, or use the minion or slow and sear method? I use the 26" kettle and use the minion method for 2 racks of st.louis cut or 3 racks of baby backs. The coals are a lot further away on that pit that Jeremy was using than a weber kettle.
@@t-reyh5937Get a 22 and the onlyfire rotisserie ring. I also have a kettledial to help protect the meat. I get these same results with ribs with that setup.
Excellent job with this cook! I just made ribs like this with my pellet smoker, Cuisinart Woodcreek, bc it allows you to burn a woodfire on the right. So I was at about 300 for awhile and got the char. I did 6 racks at once and then glazed top down in foil wraps. So only slightly different to yours, with very similar results. They were such a hit at my grandchild's b-day and with my chef/restauranteur boss!
I need to look into that. I’m not familiar with that cooker.
Cuban Monte Cristo #2. Yes, scoring the membrane is the way to go! And seasoning the backside is my method as well. While I like salt/pepper as a go to spice blend for ribs, I usually go with a slightly sweet rub. When I foil wrap them near the end, I usually spritz them with some apple cider vinegar / water. And I always top the meat side with some BBQ sauce thinned with apple cider vinegar and a pinch of cayenne. Jeremy, are you trying to steal my method?! LOL! Looks great, and while at this moment you haven't done the taste test, I'm predicting it will be epic. Nice work!
First of all, I WISH I had a Cuban montecristo no 2. Second, I’m glad you like the method! I didn’t steal it from you but I think if we ended in about the same place, it’s probably a good sign we are on the right track
I did these ribs yesterday on my XL Green Egg. Wow!! This is definitely the new way for me. Wayyyyy more fat rendered out. Used the Plate setter Indirect method dome temp approximately 315 degs. Outstanding!!!
The Gateway smokers have that authentic grill flavor as well since the fat drips on the coals. It's absolutely my rib machine - and they're used quite a bit in the comp circuit.
I'm waiting on my smokeslinger to get delivered in about two weeks, can't wait
Purchased an OKJ Bronco last summer and now the family prefers the direct heat ribs to the offset ribs. The time savings is amazing.
Do you prefer to hang them in the bronco?
@@mdvols9875 if I’m doing more than two racks yes. I don’t use the deflector plate if they are on the grate
This method is exactly what the hasty bake line of grills manufactured in Tulsa were made to do!
I did a rack last summer over direct heat using my budget Char griller smoker and they came out great. I did just salt and pepper, the last 15 mins I basted with Famous Dave's Devil's spit BBQ sauce
Used a Masterbuilt 1050 for some St Louis style ribs this past weekend. Technique was almost identical to yours (time and temp). Best ribs to date.
Some great looking ribs
I do all of my smoking with Char griller akorn that has a ceramic deflector plate, sadly my damper o-ring busted so my fire control is not great right now. I use lump charcoal and my mystery oak firewood (didn't think to ask my uncle what kind it was) for the smoke.
I occasionally like savory ribs, but I lean towards a good balance of sweet and savory, so the glazed are my go-to. I also like to occasionally slice up the ribs pre-cook and put them in a char siu marinade, then grill them direct and finish with a glaze.
“Foil raft” lol YES! Chud would be proud!
Hey Jeremy! Great video….could you review the smokeslinger pit? Looks like it would be a pit to invest, but haven’t seen a lot of KZhead vids or reviews on it. Thanks!
Made my day to hear the PA Dutch words in this video. Blast from my past too.
Your direct heat is not like my direct heat! 😃 Seriously, thanks for this demo. I've never done ribs and I need to try them.
I guess I wouldn't be sad with this Pit on my porch lol, it looks pretty awesome!
I am hoping you will add more content for smokers like those on Embers TV. Even if they are not yours. Yes, I am subscribed. Thanks for this video.
One of the world's best rib places: "Rendezvous" in Memphis, TN does direct heat ribs, cooked fast. Some of the best I have ever had.
I just did my first set of direct heat ribs and they were great! Definitely cooked faster. Direct heat chicken is awesome as well!
I'll try this on my 22in Old Smokey, bet it will be good.
I have a char griller charcoal grill. I season a rack of baby backs and cook them over direct heat on the upper rack. Grill for 30 minutes uncovered (flip every 10 minutes) then wrap in foil and repeat the process for another 30 minutes. They’re absolutely awesome and you have ribs in an hour
I was going to ask that question,But you answered it.I have the char griller grandchamp xd.So how long in time do you cook your ribs.I wish the grandchamp had a middle rack to.
@@charliezicolillo I cook them uncovered for 30 minutes and wrapped in foil another 30 minutes. Flip them every 10 minutes
What temp would you say it's at?
@@fishindoc6025 I never keep track of temps when cooking over direct heat. I just keep a fairly thin layer of lit charcoal and the ribs are on a grate about a foot above them
You would like a Gateway drum smoker. I miss mine sometimes when I cook ribs. Like you said, fat dripping and cooking off on the fire!
Direct heat beef ribs are awesome too. I do them and pork ribs on the Kamado, keep the meat high where I can hold my hand for around 8 seconds over the heat
This is how my dad did back ribs when I was a kid in the 60s-70s. He would season them, brush them with pineapple juice and direct grill them over coals. I think the famous Rendezvous in Memphis chargrills them as well. Although no one wrapped ribs back then. It was 100% directly over coals, maybe up 8-10 inches at most. I would say these you are making are more somewhat direct, but using a smoker method with wrapping.
I turned keto carnivore last july (lost 70 lbs so far) i Cook st Louis ribs salt only direct on my Komado Joe. Dome heat at 300 grill temp 325 for two hours. No wrap, super juicy. Family prefers offset with wrap and sauce.
Congratulations on the weight loss! Currently looking to lose some weight myself
Nice! I follow Keto, IM also.
@@MadScientistBBQaren't we all 😅. Currently at 310ish and not really trying, I'd love to go down 80lb but if I try to go to sleep hungry, I can't sleep, and my GERD acts up if I don't eat as many calories as I need to maintain my weight. It's great lol (/s), trying to be more active but I've had chronic pain issues since 100lb ago and it's tough. Currently have a rib out from a bout of pneumonia had me coughing hard enough to dislocate it, and its still healing. Didn't stop me from smoking meat the last two weeks so I can eat for the next week without too much work, but that shit still hurts like hell. Love the content though man, you've motivated me to cook all my food at home again and that's a huge step towards being healthier
It doesn’t matter what diet you follow in order to lose weight. Just need to be in a caloric deficit
@@MadScientistBBQgo carnivore diet. You can eat lots of meat, and the results are amazing!
I tried these direct heat ribs after watching a Swine and Bovine video. I use my Weber Smokey Mountain without the water pan per his suggestion because I don’t have a Chud Box. They were amazing, the flavor of cooking directly reminded me of old school BBQ. I love your ad lib voices at the end. Your Trump is spot on!!
I have a 7 lb. pork butt thawing for tomorrow, but now I wanna do up some ribs. Great video!
Watching again! Wanted to point out, direct heat is a wonderful cooking method to put it mildly. As Al Frugoni and Francis Mallmann could attest! You already have the best KZhead channel in the world to bring all these glorious possibilities into the mix via Kentucky! Pass the bourbon!!!
Looked like a foil boat to me! Go Bradley R.!!! (and Jeremy....love you both).
Those ribs looked good enough to eat. Greer video, as always.
I normally use my offset do my ribs. Several years ago we were at my sister's house, she wanted ribs & all she has is a basic Weber so I gave it a shot. My wife had her doubts on the Weber but I carried on my mission. I had to manage the cook pretty close but they turned out delicious; smokey & tender. On the way home, a few days later, my wife said "I didn't think you would pull that off...the ribs weren't as good as what you cook at home but they were so good & everyone loved them." Enjoyed the video! Cheers
Nice work!!! Shows that knowing principles of bbq allowed you to adapt. 👍🏻👍🏻
wow you are a hero
Was literally wondering if I could do this on my kettle. I know they won't be AS good but if I can save 3+ hours, I'll take it.
@@afinecupofcoffee8476 are you serious? Buy a slab of ribs and experiment! This is not rocket science and this dude is not the greatest when it comes to smoking/grilling. He just copies others. Take your chances and experiment. You'll love the challenge and you'll have a blast. Just my two cents.
Awesome video my man !!! Too bad I already bought my offset smoker lol
Amazing looking ribs, man!
I appreciate it!
Quick question, Jeremy, why foil and not butcher paper on ribs? Love the video!
Great video as always. Wish you would have shown how the coal side looked where you had the ribs.
It was just 1.5 chimneys of Fogo lump. The other half chimney went on the opposite side of the pit. Definitely an oversight not to include that shot.
How about a direct heat brisket cook? I’m so interested to try one. I don’t have a box like though. Just have a Weber for direct cooking. They do make some extensions though that would provide more separation. Have you ever done direct brisket?
Hi Jeremy. Will this process work on a Weber Kettle?
When I started bbq I use to always do direct heat on a Weber kettle I would Q them until they had the color I wanted then I would slice them and put them into a Dutch oven with canned pineapple and the juice.
Argentina has been cooking direct heat since gaucho days. And they have one of the best meats in the world. I’m loving direct heat everything. Still has smoke flavor but you can’t get that grease charcoal back to the meat flavor in the offset . So in a nutshell Santa Maria Grill has many positives
That Smokeslinger looks badass
I’m pleasantly surprised
glad to see the smokeslinger starting to get the recognition it deserves
Yep. It’s great! Was totally surprised by it
Im wanting to try a hot cook, 300° on the offset, but this like how they do at Salt Lick. But i gotta give props to those drink choices beside the miller lite. The kentucky bourbon barrel ale has been one of my favorite beers since i had it in Louisville. I have bottle of Woodford reserve double oak on the bar right now.
Sweet baby rays and Stubbs are my go to sauces. I have made my own but only once lol.
Jeremy what is the “appropriate” distance between coals and meat? I’m wondering if I can modify my UDS to move the grate closer to the coal basket and would like an idea on how close I should make the grate.
With this type of cooker, what different types of cooking are you able to do? I'm looking to get some type of cooker that I can sear steaks, burgers and also do ribs and such like you did above. Would this work and how well?
Temp? Could you use s pellet grill? Have you tried wrapping your spice bottles with a nitrile glove?
Jeremy, do you plan to do a review of the Smokeslinger and perhaps a comparison to the ChudBox?
There's so much more to good ribs than getting smoked to death. A lot of folks only judge ribs on the bone just falling out, but smoke can be overwhelming like any other ingredient. Grilled ribs can be just as good.
What temperature are you at with direct heat…or… what is “enough separation” between the ribs and the coals you mentioned???
Jeremy, I love your videos. Welcome to rib cooking with a Weber Kettle. It is quite similar.
I have a Weber smokey mountain without a water pan and have a Hunsaker vortex plate in it. Man ribs with the fat dripping on the coals are just great.
Agreed!
I get ribs done in about 4 hours on my offset and the Santa Maria grill the time will vary but I do like them cooked over an open flame but not being enclosed it's hard to get a big smoke flavor but still very good.
What type of wood would you recommend for the smoke flavor on the ribs?
I need a Chud Box. I have a WSM, which gives the height separation I would need, but it gets too hot when you close the lid without the baffle plate in there. And my grill doesn't have enough separation distance. Man those ribs look good! I was impressed with the results from a direct heat cook!
Get this smokeslinger, it is awesome
You "want" a chudbox. You can just learn to manage the temps better on the wsm without the baffle, plenty do it all the time. You can buy a lot of coal and meat for the cost of a chudbox.
Good point about the WSM.....I could probably just use less lump charcoal to begin with so it doesn't get too hot with the lid on. Thanks for the responses.
I have a 30+ year old Holland grill that my family still says makes the best ribs they have ever had. I have tried charcoal, pellet grill (often and a lot), offset ---- they still like the Holland.
In your opinion, what is the optimal height between protein and fire or colds?
These videos are interesting but I do wish more videos would be done on more readily available and affordable cookers. I was excited to see your take on direct heat ribs, but when I saw it was on a cooker that is close to $3000 and works extremely different compared to most standard direct heat cookers I became less interested. The stick burning feature with the full flame is great, but not something the average back yard cook can easily replicate. I would love to see a similar test done on something like a pit barrel or a weber smoky mountain without the water pan.
You can use a weber kettle and get exact same results. I've been doing it for over 20 years on a kettle. I like lump charcoal over brickets
Get a 22" weber kettle and the onlyfire rotisserie ring. I also have a kettledial to help protect the meat. I get these same results with ribs with that setup.
Do you think there is enough space on a large BGE to try this? I've done turbo ribs on the BGE (350 indirect for about 2 hours) and they are really good that way too.
I have to ask,what cigar were you smoking and what is your favorite go to cigar. Great video Jeremy
Will we get a full review of the smokeslinger? It’s on my list
Why do you leave the silver on bone side? What kind of spacing between fire and cooking rack do you have? You kept saying the juices dripping on coals, but from the video, it looks like fore was on right side of pit and ribs were on left. How exactly was the set up inside the pit?