Direct Heat Ribs: The Superior Method?

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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

Lol, your little dig at Brad with the foil "raft" was hilarious 👍

The pit barrel cooker is my favorite way to cook ribs.

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 just did Weber Kettle "snake method" ribs with B and B briquettes, mesquite wood chunks, water pan and an upright rib rack. 3.5 hour cook, 1.5 in foil, and they were perfect.

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.

We have been doing this method on Gateways for the past 5 years... Love it!

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.

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.

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.

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. :)

Love the video Jeremy!

Great video buddy, thank you.

That's the method I use when I am in a rush. It never disappoints.👍🏾

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!

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.

Nice! Gonna have to try this!👍

Thanks for the help ! Great Tutorial ❤ video !

Those are some wonderful looking rib rafts right there