This Simple Trick Made My Ribs Incredibly TENDER
Direct-Fire Ribs in Just 2 Hours
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Introduction
2-Hour Ribs Cooked Straight Over the Coals
What's up BBQ fans! These are hands down the best 2-hour ribs I've ever made, and it only took one simple change: cooking them directly over the coals the entire time.
Every time I post a rib video, the comments fill up with the same request: try them over direct fire, like in a drum. I've done it once before with my Komodo Kamado duck rack, but not everyone has one. So this time I used the top rack on the Komodo Kamado 38, right over the fire. Let me walk you through how I did it.
The Prep
These were Berkshire pork ribs, and they didn't need much work. The thin end piece I'd normally cut off was actually pretty thick, and there wasn't much of a meat flap, so I left both alone. I just picked off some of the thicker fat and trimmed one lumpy spot.
I didn't remove the membrane. I stopped doing that a while ago, and over direct fire it renders out no problem.
Seasoning was back to basics:
Fresh cracked black pepper from the Pepper Cannon (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%)
If you always put a rub on your pork (I do it a ton too), try plain salt and pepper once in a while. You'll be amazed how good the basics are.
The Fire
I was out of propane for my GrillBlazer (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%), so I lit this one old school:
Four chunks of Bear Mountain Hickory across the bottom, a little Fogo lump, and a fire starter cage lit with a torch
More lump on top, with the basket expander set to about 3/4
Top vent about four turns open, bottom-left half-moon vent fully open
After 15 to 20 minutes, I closed the bottom vent to about 1/8 and the top to about half a turn, and it settled at 250°F
Just before the ribs went on, I added two more hickory chunks on top. Because the ribs sit right over the fire and cook quicker, I wanted to front-load the smoke.
Pro tip: a little heavy white smoke at the start won't hurt anything. A whole cook in dirty smoke will, but that early smoke cleans up in 5 to 10 minutes.
The Cook
The ribs went on the top rack directly over the lit center of the coals, so all that fat drips right into the fire and flavors the meat.
Bone side down for about 1 hour 20 minutes
Flipped meat side down for about 25 minutes
Flipped back bone side down until done
Total cook time was about 2 hours, and I pulled them at 204°F on my Typhur InstaProbe (use code: RUMANDCOOK to save 10%). They came up quicker than I expected. I was filming a second cook at the same time that needed 275°F, so these ran hotter than I'd have liked. Then I let them rest about 10 minutes, with no sauce, so I could taste just the smoke and fire.
The Results
Let me tell you, the house smelled amazing. There's something about direct-fire meat with all that fat dripping into the coals.
I cut right down the middle for a jumbo meaty bone, and they were super juicy all the way through, with a good smoke ring for such a short cook. The flavor was phenomenal. Jake approved and dog approved: Ollie showed up at the back door as soon as he smelled them.
Was it perfect? Not quite. The top got a little crusty because I left them meat side down too long.
Final Thoughts
If you've only got 2 hours, want amazing ribs and have some lump to cook over, this is absolutely the way I'd do them. They're very tough to beat.
Next time, I'd run the kamado closer to 225°F for this style of cook and cut back the time meat side down. If ribs are your thing, I've got plenty more videos on the channel, from membrane on vs. off to spritzing.
Thanks For Watching
Whether you’re a seasoned pitmaster or a novice, these tips will enhance your cooking skills and leave your family and friends raving about your delicious, smoky creations. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more step-by-step videos, and let’s together become the barbecue heroes we were meant to be!
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