Summer Recipes From The Phi Delt Grillmaster

By Michael McDearman, Tennessee Delta ’97

BBQ Ribs

Pork ribs are a staple at tailgates and backyards alike. It’s hard to wrong with BBQ Ribs.

What You’ll Need:

Spare Ribs – 1 rack
3EYZ rub
Sauce of your choice

Grillmaster McD’s Tips, Tricks and Techniques

To prep the meat, simply remove from the store packaging, rinse and turn the rack to the bone side up (the side with a membrane on it). We want to remove the membrane to give the rub flavors access to the meat as the smoke work its magic. To remove the membrane, work the edge of the membrane up in a spot and grab/pull with a dry paper towel. Presto. It’s off. Take 3EYZ rub or any BBQ rub that you enjoy and apply a good dusting on all sides to flavor the meat. Let the ribs sit for about 15 minutes and they are ready to go on the smoker.

We will use an indirect smoker today. Basically, it allows us to cook the ribs indirectly over the fire. We want to keep the temperature as close to 225-250 as possible without spikes and valleys. Make sure your coals are fully lit (grey and ashen) before putting the meat on the smoker. With smoking wood, soak it overnight in water to slow the burn and create a smoke that is thin and blue. White pillowy smoke puts acidic residue on the meat.

Once the cooker has stabilized in temperature, place the ribs on the grate and shield with a water pan (for steam and heat distribution). Close it up and keep the cooker at the 225-250 range for 3 hours in the smoke. If you are looking, you aren’t cooking. Keep the doors closed! It takes up to 30 minutes for some cookers to recover.

At the 3 hour mark, put the ribs into foil pouches with a couple tablespoons of apple juice, use some squeeze butter with honey and brown sugar on both sides. I also put the meat side down in the pouch. Cook at the same 225-250 temp for 2 hours in the sealed pouch.

When you take them out of the foil pouch after the two hours, lift them with tongs long ways. Sliding your tongs halfway under the rack of ribs, they are done when you lift them and see an almost 90 degree bend. If they do not bend that way (where you almost reach under them because you think they might fall), then put them back in the foil for a bit more.

Once they have the bend but don’t break feel, we then sauce the ribs and put them back on the indirect heat for as long as it takes for your sauce to tighten or turn into a bit of a paste. This step does not have a specific time, but some sauces can take up to a full 6th hour. I usually tighten a sauce for about 20 minutes.

Always rest the meat for a bit. On ribs, I let them sit unstacked and off the heat for about 15 minutes. Then, it’s on! Dive in and enjoy!

Creole Mustard Crusted Pork Loin

What You’ll Need:

(1) Pork Loin
(1) bottle Creole Mustard
(4) sprigs fresh Rosemary
(3) T of minced Garlic
(10) peppercorns

Grillmaster McD’s Tips, Tricks and Techniques

Pork can handle many flavor profiles. Looking for a more tender or juicy pork chop? Try soaking chops or smaller pieces in buttermilk for less than 2 hours. Then pat off the excess and cook like the recipes say. Yum!

Take a paring knife and cut finger sized slits (about 10) in evenly spaced locations (preferably from the top to preserve any juices). Spread the peppercorns, garlic and rosemary (after you have slid your fingers against the leaves to get them off the stems) in the holes evenly throughout the pork loin. Generously coat the outside of the loin with Creole Mustard. Set in a roasting rack or on a wire rack.

Don’t be afraid to add a bit of thin blue smoke during this cook. Preheat your smoker or grill (indirect heat) on 350 degrees and cook for approximately 50-55 minutes until the loin reaches 145 degrees internal temperature. Pork recently changed its food safe temp and can be eaten at a medium rare. If you like it a bit more done, find that internal temperature you desire. If you like it more of a medium to medium well go for 155 degrees. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, slice and enjoy!

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