The Beef Tallow Experiment: Can It Take Your Ribs to the Next Level?
Beef Tallow Injected Baby Back Ribs on the Pitts & Spitts
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Introduction
Can Beef Tallow Take Your Ribs to the Next Level?
Hey everybody, Jake here. I've had a question in my head for a while: what happens if you inject melted beef tallow into a rack of ribs? Tallow is basically pure beef fat, and the theory is simple. More fat inside the meat should mean juicier ribs. So I put it to the test on my Pitts & Spitts, and I have to say, the results surprised me.
The Prep
I went with baby back ribs for this one because they're thicker than spares, so there's more meat to hold the tallow. I melted down some Wagyu beef tallow and used a very fine needle to inject it between the bones. Go slow and take your time so it stays in the meat and doesn't run out the other side.
I left the membrane on and did not wrap these at any point. For the seasoning I kept it simple with salt and pepper at about a 1:1 ratio, using my Pepper Cannon (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). On a long cook, I like a bit more pepper than usual because it builds a great crust and adds texture.
The Setup
I fired up the Pitts & Spitts Maverick 2000 with Bear Mountain oak pellets, and I added a few oak chunks in the wood cage for extra smoke flavor.
Set temp: 285°F
Actual cooker temp: about 250-260°F in Original mode
Conditions: 35 mph winds, so the grill was working hard
Expected cook time: 4 to 5 hours
The Cook
With all that wind I figured the cook would run long, but the ribs were ready in about 3 and a half hours. The internal temp was around 196-197°F, but I don't cook ribs to a number. I go by feel with the lift test, and when they bent and cracked the way I wanted, they were done.
Then I let them rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
The Results
I cut bone to bone and the ribs looked fantastic, with a solid smoke ring and a great bark. Did they taste extra beefy? Not really. The tallow doesn't push a strong beef flavor, and that's fine by me because it's still a rib. What it did do was make them incredibly juicy. Honestly, these are the juiciest ribs I've ever had, hands down.
One note on the membrane. Leaving it on worked fine here because the cook was hot enough, and it renders down at around 275°F with good airflow. If you're cooking on a Komodo Kamado or another cooker with less airflow, I'd score it or take it off.
Final Thoughts
If you like juicy ribs, this is worth a try, and the key tip is to inject slowly with a fine needle. I'm curious whether lard would work the same way. If you want to see me try it, let me know in the comments and I'll make it happen.
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Thanks For Watching
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