Ribs In Thailand And The Desolation Of A Life Without Pork

[garvin123g]

BBQ ! My Favorite Subject!!! (Next to Family, friends and Fun....

Having Firmly Stood my ground on the issue of Which Oven for our at the time new home with my lovly wife.. she relented and allowed me to indulgemyself witha Large (American full Size) Gas Oven.. NOT Cheap, but we have never looked back... I think the argument that won her over was we asked Chefs and Rest owners where we liked to eat what type Oven they used, Gas or electrict.. Gas always won.. and the operating costs are much less than electrict ovens for those 4 to 6 hr slow cooking dishes we do sometimes.

Many great tips have been passed on to you here.. Removing the membrane is one... A bit of Liquid Smoke is also a good idea in the marinade if you don't have a smoker.. it is 'almost' as good and does add the smoked flavor.. Available @ Villa.. I have seen it at Tops and Teso once in a while..

I am fortunate enough to have a Large Gass BBQ made of Cast ALu. Big and Heavy so holds heat and very good temp control.. Also a Remote Digital probe Thermometer, MAverick is a good brand on line about $100. and I did not get hit by the Taxes.. Maverick Mailed it to me!

Check out a "Smoke Daddy" on line google.. you attach it to your BBQ (A covered kind, not an open grill so an Oven BBQ..) You burn the Chips in this 'Smoke daddy and the smoke is forced thru the BBQ area by Air form an attached aquarium pump!! It burns for 4 hrs or so and you can re fill it all without having to open the grill!

A marinade I like that is simple is your favorite BBBQ sauce diluted with apple juice a dash or 5 of Liquid smoke. a bit of Salt helps in this as well,..

After the soak of 8 hrs or so, I save the marinade (I heat to boiling in the Microwave for a bit , and put it thru a strainer.. then add Honey as a Base during smoking.

Anyway afet the marinade, dry the meat off with paper towles (a lot of them) then apply a Rub!

Rubs make a BIG difference. I try to leave my meat in a rub for 4 to 8 hrs. For a rub I use say 1/4 cup of Paprika, 1/4 cup Brown sugar, Bunches of fresh ground Black pepper, Chilli pepper flakes and 3 tbl spoons sea salt. Oil the meat with Rice brand oil or a good quality oil, Olive oil is ok, but if you go ver tempreture it burns sooner.

I bring my BBQ Oven up to about 210 degrees F Get the Smoke thingy working, and once up to temp on goes the meat. Thermometer probes inserted and then I do not touch it for 3 hours or so.. I also use a water paan under the meat pan directly over the indirect heat / gas flames.. keeps heat level and the moister content up.

After 3 or 4 hours, add more water, and maybe Baste the meat w/ left over marinade.. you can also dash on some Hot Sauce.. for this, instead of Tabasco, I prefer Crystal Luasnia Hot sauce, I feel it has flavor with the heat..

Depending, you can wrap the meat , seal it up in Tin foil,.. that is called the Texas Crutch, it can make the meat tender quicker.. but destroys the crust / Bark on the meat unless you finnish it on the grill with open flame high heat to color crisp it up.

Generally I BBQ all day and serve late afternoon.. or even the next day after warming it all back up either in the oven in the kitchen or on the BBQ Just re heat it slow..

I kike that because while I am 'Cooking" I am not too good of company as I am always running to the grill and checking tem or water.. just futsying around..

I cook Brisket to about internal tem of 190 F .. but you have to check.. for "Fork Tenderness" every piece is different and gives that moment of tenderness at its own temp. Pork Roasts over 165 ... it will hold there in that range.. called the Stall for hours while all the fats break down and the 'Goodness ' happens! when it starts rise again, begin checking for tenderness..

A GREAT BOOK "Compitition BBQ Secrets" by Bill Anderson for around 30 or so $ is a great investment.. he has a site on line, you can order an e-version or the physical paper copy.. Nice Guy..

I screwed up once when I ordered a copy for my Sister and ordered the e-version,.. I phoned him up, told him my balls up and said never mind I will re-order and pay for a Hard Copy.... he just laughed and said "Don't Bouter, Whats the address?" several days later my sister recieved the paper copy,.. no charge..

For Me, THAT is the kind of person I want to do business with....!!

Aside from the way this guy treated me.. the Book is GREAT.. If you are an experienced "Pit Master" it has some real tips and accessories ideas that are valuable.. even to people who Compete in BBQ cook offs proffessionaly. for a Novice, it explains just a lot of the 'Why" behind slow smoking BBQ and provides references if you want to keep researching.and varifying His tips!. IT has recipese for Rubs and Marinades, recomendatios for what wood chips to use with what meat,.. and it is presented witha Quiet confidence and an easy going humorous style..

My Very Best friend here in Thailand was Wes Carroll. He and I had talked for years of many things, but we seem to always get back to the fact there was just no real "Shak Style Smoked BBQ places here that we knew of.. While I was in the USA for an extended family visit, he and his business partner opend Great American Rib Co. Born on the 4th of July! They did full upright smokers and smoke the meat for 8 to 12 hours depending on the cut. I Lost my friend to well, he died of living, and he certainly lived more than any man I have ever known.. In anycase, Great American Rib still has a restaurant on Suk 36 Bangkok worth checking out.. He had a branch in Pattaya.. but not sure if there is still one there or not. Worth a visit for Great "PIG"..

Sorry for running on.. but WTH, it IS a Forum and hope you may have picked up an idea or 3..

I also worked in Saudi, Jeddah, Dammam, Abqak , Ras ta nuri, Yanboo, and Al Mahad Dab.. So I feel ya on the no pork.... and did love the "Breakfast Beef" wink wink nod nod lol. There was a butcher shop in Jeddah , run by Lebonese, that had ..."Special Beef" Pork! a real treat once in a while.. And another quirkey fact, My friend was w/ the Japaneese Embasy and told me of a farm he visited near Taif that raised pigs!! He had no reason to make it up and had photos as well so........ A LOT went on there that was "Forbidden" as we all know who stayed there for any period of time.. for me, 1976 thur 1984 or so...maybe 86? I have not returned, but I sometimes wonder and would like to see certain places again.. Red Sea had some of the Best Scuba Diving I have ever experienced.... and I have been a LOT of places Diving, The Med, the Caribiaen, the Islands of Hawwi , south Thailand, Burma coast.. so I am not in experienced,.. Unfortunaetly I do not do that anymore.. just too lazzy or too tired. + my former wife sold all my gear 20 years ago lol

Take care

GB