A guy at a Memphis contest told me his secret for keeping ribs moist.

I was struggling with my baby back ribs drying out near the end of the cook. At a competition in Memphis, I saw this older pitmaster, Frank, spritzing his ribs with a mix that wasn't just apple juice. I asked him about it, and he said, 'Son, half apple juice, half red wine vinegar, with a big spoon of hot sauce mixed in. The vinegar helps the meat hold onto the juice.' He let me try a bit off his cutting board right there. I started using his mix, and my ribs stopped getting that tough bark on the bottom. The vinegar trick really works. Has anyone else tried adding vinegar to their spritz?

3 comments

3 Comments

ninaowens1mo agoMost Upvoted

Sounds like a good way to make your ribs taste like salad dressing lol

the_thea1mo ago

But a good vinaigrette is just oil, acid, and herbs. That's basically a marinade. A lemon-oregano dressing on lamb ribs? That's just Greek cooking. A sharp mustard dressing on pork could work like a glaze. It's all about balance, not just dumping ranch on them.

kimmurphy1mo ago

Wait, are you telling me people actually put ranch on ribs?