Summertime Recipes: The Big Green Egg and Ribs

We have a Big Green Egg. Big Green Eggs are wonderful things.

For those of you that are unaware of what a Big Green Egg actually is, please be advised that Big Green Eggs are the best BBQs in the world. Based on a centuries old Japanese smoker, the BGE has a very descriptive name. They are green and shaped like an egg. If I remember correctly, they come in 4 or 5 different sizes ranging from a small table top version to an extra large version which is capable of handling the largest turkey. We have the extra large version.

Starting in early April, I cook on my BGE multiple times per week. During the summer months I wouldn't consider entertaining with preparing something on the Egg. It is simply that good.

The Big Green Egg is both a smoker and a BBQ. The temperature is very easy to control as it has both bottom and top vents. It is very easy to get the temperature up to 650 to 700 degrees for a perfectly quick grilled steak. It is also easy to maintain 200 degrees for hours at a time. Once you have cooked on a Big Green Egg you may never use your oven or stove top again.

One of our favorite Big Green Egg recipes is dry rubbed ribs. The first thing I do is break down the ribs. I remove all the the fat and as much of the white connective tissue as possible. I know that some people will think the ribs are less tasty with the fat gone but I disagree. Animal fat is bad. Period. After the fat and sinewy bits are gone, I cut the ribs into to plate sized portions and put them into a large flat tuperware container. I cover all sides of the ribs with extra virgen cold pressed olive oil.

I apply the rub in stages and the precise ingrdients seem to vary. I also use coarse sea salt and freshly ground coarse pepper. Don't bother with this step if you only have table salt or ground pepper on hand. I then go to my garden and cut whatever herbs need cutting: chives, oregano, basil, thyme, sage. I cut and chop as much as possible. At this point I might add dried onion flakes to the herb mixture. I pat on the herb mixture to the front and back sides of all of the ribs. I really try to rub the mixture into the meat. Once all of the peices are well coated I cover the tupperware and place the ribs in the fridge for a few hours.

I like to cook the ribs at the lowest possible temperature for the longest possible time. I find this gives me the best results. If I'm short on time I am also fine with increasing the temperature to the 350 degree range.

The results are a tender, fall off the bone rib dinner that has a fresh and healthy coating of crispy herbs.

Bon Appetitite. Stay tuned for more Big Green Egg recipes.