Q: Dr. BBQ,
First things first! Your new book, Dr. BBQ’s Big Time Barbecue Cookbook, is the best on the market. Absolutely terrific! I read it cover to cover…and am now in pursuit of the perfect ribs. I started off with the Big-Time Championship ribs using a medium-size Big Green Egg—cooking just one slab. A couple of questions: Can I assume the BGE, when loaded up according to their instructions and kept covered, is “indirect” heat? There isn’t much room to move meat around. Also, things seemed to be going good until I got to the honey-apple-juice-in-the-foil part. It came out tasty, but a little black and chewy – seems like it got too hot although I kept the temperature in the right range. Am I doing something wrong or do I just try to adjust the times (i.e. less) a little? The glaze and the BBQ sauce are unbelievable!
–Mike
A: Hi Mike,
Glad you like the book. I think you have figured out your own problem, and the answer is an optional Big Green Egg part called a platesetter. It’s a deflector that converts the Egg to an indirect cooker. Your ribs were just taking on too much direct heat. With some practice and a lower temp, the Egg will cook low and direct, but I prefer to use the platesetter. Your local dealer should have one for the medium Egg.
–Dr. BBQ