# Need a good Bradley smoker pork rib recipe



## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

I got a new Bradley smoker pretty cheap. I have my own ideas about what to do with it, but my son wants BBQ ribs. Thick red sauce, no tomato but not too vinegared. Smoked low and slow. I know some of you know just how to do this. Any recipes? (Any of you who know me know that [a] I'm not interested in stealing anything, so if there are secrets send them PM; and * I don't mind a bit spending three days or whatever to get it right.)*


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

I've taken to doing ribs using what is referred to as the 2-2-1 method. After removing the silver skin, I'll usually rub the ribs down with mustard and then a dry rub (paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried rosemary/oregano, black pepper, salt, fine raw sugar, etc.) and cook at 225 for the first 2 hours. You then wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil and cook for the next 2 hours. Then, remove them from the foil and sauce them, I actually like to combine some of the rendered fat in the foil along with my sauce and baste them with that mixture. Cook for 1 last hour. That allows the sauce time to tighten up. You can baste them multiple times if you wish. I've found that the timing is just about perfect for baby back ribs.





  








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eastshores


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Jul 5, 2017


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

Kosher salt, cracked black pepper and brown sugar in the offset smoker at about 275. 




  








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chefbuba


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Jul 5, 2017


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## scott livesey (Jan 25, 2013)

ChrisLehrer said:


> I got a new Bradley smoker pretty cheap. I have my own ideas about what to do with it, but my son wants BBQ ribs. Thick red sauce, no tomato but not too vinegared. Smoked low and slow. I know some of you know just how to do this. Any recipes? (Any of you who know me know that [a] I'm not interested in stealing anything, so if there are secrets send them PM; and * I don't mind a bit spending three days or whatever to get it right.)*


how do you get red sauce without tomato? I do light salt and pepper then play with the wood. use what they call natural charcoal rather than bricquets. red oak is very smoky with a bite. hickory is mild. apple or peach is almost sweet. serve sauce on the side at the table. lots of thick red sauce and you could cook an old shoe and folks would say it tastes great but a little tough.


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## eastshores (Oct 23, 2008)

Scott Livesey said:


> how do you get red sauce without tomato?


Only two things I can think of.. chili pepper and sugar.. or perhaps that chinese red sauce called Ah So.. this stuff..





  








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eastshores


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Jul 5, 2017


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## chrislehrer (Oct 9, 2008)

Actually I find that the recipes we've used in the past do have a small modicum of tomato or else were more brownish. So that answers that question.

But I do like the idea of that Chinese stuff in BBQ!


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## scott livesey (Jan 25, 2013)

please try them at least once with nothing other that salt, pepper and smoke


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Baby backs or spares? I think you will have to cut the slabs in half to fit the Bradley. I cook ribs at 250ish for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours(spares take longer but taste better in my opinion). I do not foil, cook for an hour, flip over and baste with mop, cook an hour, flip and baste then every half hour after that until they flex and the meat cracks some when picked up in the center.

Mop I use is a simple apple cider vinegar and olive oil 50/50 mix. Brush it on generously to get a great bark.

If you must add sauce do it in the last half hour or so, how fast it caramelizes will depend on the heat source, I am thinking in the Bradley you may need to do it on a gas grill... I never sauce ribs and friends have never put sauce on even though I offer 4-5 kinds at a BBQ. I use Smokin' Guns mild rub and people love them.


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## jay lancaster (Aug 26, 2016)

New smoker...new to barbecue...start with a "control"

I agree with salt & pepper (it won't hurt my feelings if you throw in a bit of granulated garlic). This will give you an idea of what the ribs actually taste like without a ton of other stuff getting in the way. 

So you didn't say what kind of ribs. Baby Backs will cook an hour or so faster than Spares. I'm a spare rib guy, but everybody likes something different. Watch some YouTube videos about how to prepare a rack for the smoker.

After your simple seasoning & smoking...then decide about the sauce. If adding sauce, I like to do so about 30 minutes before I think the ribs will be done. This gives the liquid time to dry up a little so the ribs aren't so wet. 

Also...low & slow...do as you please, but low & slow is so overrated. I'd go at least 275 and up to 325. Your ribs won't take as long, and you'll never know the difference. Just be careful at these higher temps if you do choose to use sugar on the ribs...they'll burn if you don't know what you're looking for.

Foil or no foil...again, up to you. I will do them both ways. I like no foil, but they will take a touch longer without it. Just know that they will turn to mush inside the foil if you go too far.

Otherwise, cook them till they pass the bend test. 

My suggestion to you (if the above was too chopped up to fully understand)...trim & pull or cut the membrane...season with salt & pepper (may a sprinkle of garlic)...cook around 275 (follow your Bradley instructions on adding wood...oak, pecan, hickory, or fruit woods will all be good)...cook without foil until you learn the process...research what the "bend test" is and take the ribs off when they reach that point...remember to sauce just a bit before you think the bend test will be achieved (but don't sauce one or two bones so you can taste the ribs straight up).

Sounds complicated, but cooking barbecue is easy. It's so difficult for some people because they are led to believe they have to do so many special things...you don't. 

As I have said for years..."Barbecue...it's just heat & meat."


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