About the Ribs

Most of my readers know that I like to cook out - and over the last couple of years that I've been working on it as a skill, especially after buying the Big Unit last year, and since I've been butchering a hog share out in the Valley.

My barbecue team, Two Fat Farmers and a City Slicker, decided we'd compete again in the Backyard Boyz competition of Smokin' on the Tracks out in Luray (link below).  So I took that as a sign it was time to begin practicing the techniques we used last year, with the hopes of improving our results in some of the other categories (we placed third in chicken last year and fourth overall).

Here is a plate of ribs from last week, featuring our competition dry rub and a variation of the competition sauce.  Also paired with sweet corn and baby zukes off of the grill.

There's also a photo of the ribs in progress, showing the hot side/cold side method I usually use.  I also put some hickory in there when I am doing this at home - we don't smoke at the contest.  This batch came out well for flavor - I still need to work on timing a bit to ensure that they are at the state of done-ness that the judges are taught to evaluate.

That'll come.  The contest is in September, so there is still time to practice.

Here is a link to the fest:
http://smokinbbqpal.com/