A politically incorrect message to single guys from Meathead:
Learn to cook and you will increase your odds of finding love immensely.
To married guys
Your wife hates it when you're in her kitchen. Learn how to cook outdoors. It will make your marriage better.
To single ladies
Barbecue smoke is a potent pheromone. Skip the implants, get a good smoker or grill, save a ton of money, and you'll have all plenty of prospects hanging out on your porch.
To married ladies
Look out back. He's right there. You want quality time? Grab a beer and join him. Teach him to cook. Use this website as a textbook. He can learn. I did.
To everyone
This site attempts to do a very difficult thing. It attempts to teach the novicebut strives to be thorough enough for the expert. It tries to explain why as well as how with the hope that if we learn how to cook outdoors, we can cook anywhere.
Illustration by Gil Elvgren, 1958.
Amazing Ribs is all About the Zen of Barbecue and Grilling
"Too much of a good thing can be wonderful." Mae West
Barbecue is the world's oldest cooking method. Heck, it may be the world's second oldest profession. And people have been gnawing on ribs since the beginning of time.
Barbecue was probably discovered by some pre-human tribe padding warily through the warm ashes of a forest fire following a particularly seductive scent. When they stumbled upon the charred carcass of a wild boar they squatted and poked their fingers into its side. They sniffed their fragrant fingers, then licked the greasy digits. The magical blend of warm protein, molten fat, and unctuous collagen in roasted meat is a narcotic elixir and it addicted them on first bite. They became focused, obsessed with tugging and scraping the bones clean, moaning, and shaking their heads. The sensuous aromas made their nostrils smile and the flavors caused their mouths to weep.
Kissed by smoke, hugged by sauce, licked by fire
Today we do it the same way all across the world. Our noses lead us to meat roasted by live fire where we eat without forks or linen. Just pig on a stick, grease and goop on our faces. The meat is ethereal, kissed by smoke, hugged by sauce, and licked by fire. "Don’t play with your food" doesn't apply when you're eating barbecue. If you don't get it on your shirt you're not doing it right. This is primal, elemental, sensual eating. Pure carnal joy. Just like our ancestors.
Since the beginning of time, cooking with fire has always meant a gathering the clan outdoors, and there is no more intimate gathering than hanging around the fire with the sweet smell of smoke and meat in the air, with a beer in hand, and loved ones at our table. If, as I believe, a nation's cuisine is at the core of it's culture, barbecue is as important to the American heritage as is jazz, both perfected by African Americans in the South. To this day, nothing says "party" and "family" like barbecue so it should not be surprising that, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), almost 80% of US households own an outdoor grill or smoker.
There may even be a psychological reason we love barbecue. Psychologists have shown that certain foods, among them barbecue, just plain make us happy. Who needs comfort food when we can have happy food?
That's the reason for this website. It is not so much about cooking as it is about feeding,self-expression, and happiness. There are a lot of step-by-step recipes from the canon of dishes a barbecue chef needs to know, but the meat and potatoes of AmazingRibs.com are the concepts and techniques that allow us to feed friends and family well. And have them worship us.
Making it happen is not that hard. Just about anything you can cook in the kitchen can be cooked outdoors if you know a few tricks. And this site will teach you the tricks of controlling temperature and time, essential for cooking anything.
This website is for all the trash-talkers who aspire to make the best barbecue on the block, and then brag about it. It's not hard. Roll up your sleeves, strap on a bib (or better still, an apron), and dig in!
Below are links to some of the best parts of this website. To see everything, click here for a complete sitemap.
Listen to Meathead on the 12/4/2009 NPR show
"The Splendid Table" with Lynn Rosetto Kasper
There is no better radio show on food than Lynn Rosetto Kasper's, so it was a real honor when she called to discuss my Huffington Post article "Who Killed Gourmet" in which I digressed on recipes on the internet and why the best are hard to find, even with help from Google. Click here to hear the broadcast, and click here to see my list of the best food websites.
A lot of folks boil their ribs. Don't do it! You wouldn't boil a steak would you? When you boil meat and bones, you make flavorful soup. That's because water is a powerful solvent that pulls much of the flavor out of the meat and bones and makes the meat mushy. Boiling also removes vitamins and minerals. That's why the water is cloudy when you're done. Taste tests have shown that ribs are most flavorful when roasted. If you are in a hurry, you are better off steaming or microwaving ribs and then finishing them on the grill or under the broiler. Just don't boil 'em if you want max flavor!
Myth #2: The best ribs fall off the bone
Properly roasted ribs are tender but still have some chew, similar to a tender steak. They don't fall off the bone. If they do, chances are they have been boiled or steamed (see Myth #1, above). The best tasting meats usually have a bit of a brown crust on the outside, called affectionately "bark". It is caused by the Maillard effect and caramelization, chemical reactions that build rich, complex flavors. Click here to learn what the experts think Amazing Ribs taste like.
Myth #3: Pink pork is uncooked
When ribs are smoked they get an incredible flavor and a pink smoke ring. They're not raw! If they were, the pink would be in the center, near the bone. The pink is a by-product of the smoke and combustion gases. Click here to read more about rib science. and click here to learn more about the thermodynamics of outdoor cooking.
Myth # 4: Soak wood before using it
When I soaked wood chunks overnight, they gained about 3% by weight. Chips gained about 6%. I cut the chunks in half and penetration was only about 1/16". DOH! That must be why they make boats out of wood! Wood doesn't absorb much water! If you toss wet wood on a hot grill, the small amount of water just below the surface will evaporate rapidly, negating any effect of soaking. On charcoal, the wet wood have the deleterious effect of cooling off the coals when it is important to hold the coals at a steady temp.
Huge new hot dog section
More than 25 articles on the best ways to cook hot dogs, buns, chili sauce, recipes for the regional styles (Chicago, NY, Detroit, Cincinnati, West Virginia and more), and a hot dog road trip! Click here for everything you need to know about hot dogs.
New Weber Smokey Mountains available now
Weber's a new version of their industry standard 18.5" Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) smokers and an all new, larger 22.5" WSM. They take little time to master, but there are a lot of tricks the experts use to produce incredible food. The new designs have real improvements, and a few shortcomings. Click here to read my review.
Meathead's Hotstuff Awards
For the coolest in tools and toys, check Meathead's Hotstuff Awards. I don't sell anything. I just tell you what works and what doesn't.
An example: The Smokenator. For less than $50 you can easily convert a standard Weber Kettle into a smoker capable of making restaurant quality smoked ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, turkey, or salmon. If you have a Weber, you need a Smokenator.
Well my wife just about jumped through her [rear end]. The ribs were fantastic!
Ted DuBose, Perth, Australia
This meal was as memorable as my first sex, only better.
Marie Overholt, San Francisco, CA
I was about to buy a new smoker. After reading your article about setting up a horizontal smoker, I decided to try rehabilitating something the previous owner of my house left in the backyard. Ran a test yesterday and got 6 hours at 225F on one basket of lump charcoal and only had 8-10 deg variance from end to end. Total investment:$100. I figure I saved at least $500!
Coleman Shelton
Calvert City, KY
The Memphis Dust and the pulled pork are excellent! I never would have imagined that I would like anything better than a slab of smoked ribs, but that pulled pork, oh my gosh! I have taken it to a couple of parties and it is always a HIT! I made some two weeks ago and served it with the South Carolina mustard sauce as well as the grownup sauce and let me tell you, I had to dang near run people out of my house!
Aswad Johnson
I have always loved cooking ribs but with our new gas grill they were never as good as charcoal. Well that all changed last night when I made the greatest ribs I have ever tasted. My wife wanted to know if I bought them somewhere and then claimed I cooked them myself.
Allen Nicley, Mont Alto, PA
We love your beans. My recipe has our guests tooting for a few days; I bet that yours will last a week!!!!
Peggy Bohl, Sacramento, CA
I have worked as a professional cook in high end French restaurants for several years, but I had little true BBQ experience, so when I hit the internet looking for some info, I was really pleased to find an in depth and expansive site that had all the tips I was looking for. I am also pleased to tell you that I recently took first place in my first rib (or any BBQ) competition, using a slight variation on your Memphis Dust and a straight use of your Pig Candy recipe on a rack of baby backs!
Aaron Ettlin, Portland, OR
I had two ribs and my boyfriend ate the other 3 1/2 pounds. He couldn't stop to talk. He had to bring a box of tissues to the table because these ribs are so good, they make him weep. And that's the truth. Of course, I make sure he has plenty of napkins, too. He tells me that my ribs have deepened his love for me. Well, fine, but I know that just means he wants more ribs:)
Nancy J. Mostad, Minnesota
I am in the process of opening a cafe and thought your simple sweet sour slaw is an amazing winner. Tested it tonight. All people could say was "More please!!!"
James Murray, Toronto
All I have to say is OH MY GOD!!! They are hands down the best ribs I have ever tasted. Everyone begged me for the recipe.
Here's what barbecue guru Barry Sorkin of Smoque Restaurant in Chicago says:
"Great article on brisket. That’s a better explanation than I’ve seen in any of the cookbooks, and I’ve read a lot of them. It does a great job of making one of the most complex and difficult cuts of meat simple and approachable. My only concern is that if everyone learns how to make brisket, what’s a poor schmuck like me going to do to make a buck?!?!"
The different cuts of ribs. For complete descriptions, click here.
Don't do it the way Weber tells you to do it. Click here to see how to do it right.
Best gas grill setup
The secret is in a pan of water between the meat and the heat.
Food, drink, cooking, barbecue, and rib links
There are so many great resources on the internet: Associations, message boards, podcasts, blogs, and more. Just click here.
Barbecue newsletter
"Smoke Signals" is the irregular email newsletter I send out with news of new recipes and articles, current events, new products, and more. Just enter your email to subscribe. Click here for my privacy promise.
Stuck indoors? Try these:
Smoky Sauna Ribs. This technique makes verrrrry tender, juicy, ribs, indoors all year round.
Chinatown Char Siu Ribs. Everybody loves those Chinese restaurant ribs. How do they do it? The secret is not the sauce, it's the marinade. You can do them at home on the grill or in the oven.
Hoisinful Nine Dragon Ribs (shown at right). These may be the best Chinese ribs you ever tasted. And you can cook them indoors.
Chinese Five Spice Ribles. Fried and crispy, flavored with five spice powder, these ribs are the perfect finger food for parties.
You can kick most barbecue restaurants in the ribs
The best news is that you can make better ribs at home than any restaurant, even the hallowed temples of barbecue such as Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, Rendezvous in Memphis, and Kreuz Market in Lockhart Texas.
Most of these restaurants make hundreds of slabs, cooking them for 4-6 hours overnight or in the morning, and by the time you order them, they have been sitting in the holding oven for hours and are overcooked. Yes, the texture and flavor are fabulous, but you can do better at home simply by getting the timing down and delivering perfectly cooked ribs to your dining table better than any restaurant in the world!
The one requirement of all my recipes: When you're done, you must lick your fingers, leave a plate of bare bones, and exclaim "Amazing Ribs!"
Food for thought
The three greatest food educators and cookbook authors of the last century lived far longer than the designers of the two most famous diets of the last century:
Julia Child, died at 92 James Beard, 82 Craig Claiborne, 80 Nathan Pritikin, 70 Robert Atkins, 73
Hear Meathead talking about hot dogs on "Live! from Jasper's Kitchen" with co-host Mitch Baker. KCMO is in the barbecue capital of the world, Kansas City, so for me, this is like Carnegie Hall!
AmazingRibs.com is all about the Zen of Barbecue, cooking ribs, and all kinds of BBQ recipes and techniques: Barbecue baby back ribs, spare ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken, smoked turkey, steak, lamb, barbecue sauces, rubs, and great side dishes, with the net's best buying guide to barbecue smokers and cookers. It is written, illustrated, and coded solely by Craig "Meathead" Goldwyn.
Product Reviews and Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards. Meathead's Hot Stuff Awards are highly recommended products that I have tested personally or that have been tested by reliable sources. Awards are based on features, quality, and value. Rest assured that when I recommend a product, it is really because I like it, not because someone has paid me to say so or because the company is an advertiser or sponsor. I purchase most products I review although occasionally suppliers send me samples.
About links on this site. Other than clearly marked ads, links and recommendations on this site are all products, services, and websites I truly admire, and are never paid endorsements. Your suggestions are always welcome. If you would like me to link to your website, click here to read my links policy first.
My Privacy Promise.I promise to never sell or distribute any info about you individually without your express permission, and I promise not to, ahem, pepper you with email or make you eat spam. Click here for more about my privacy promise.
This link takes you to Amazon.com and tags anything you buy with my affiliate code so I get a small referral fee. It works on anything from grills to diapers and it has zero impact on the price you pay. Low prices, fast delivery, and good refund policies are the best reasons to buy from Amazon.com, but clicking on that link before you shop helps me devote more time and money to you. Thanks!
Meathead's Faves
These recommendations are not ads. They are unsolicited endorsements.
GrillGrates Take Your Grill Into the Infrared Zone
GrillGrates are the best new product I have tested in years and the best thing to happen to beef since salt and pepper.
They sit on top of your current grill's grates. The hard anodized aircraft grade aluminum rail tops are flat and wide and make perfect dark crunchy grill marks. The base superheats yet eliminates hot spots and blocks flareups. This is the same concept behind the expensive new infrared grills.
Juices drip in the valleys between the rails and are vaporized and penetrate the meat enhancing flavor. I throw wood between the rails and they impart a delicate smoke flavor. I have made my best steaks and burgers ever with Grill Grates. This is a really great new product! Click here to read more and for ordering info.
The Smokenator
If you have a Weber Kettle, you need the amazing Smokenator and Hovergrill. The Smokenator turns your grill into a first class smoker, and the Hovergrill can add capacity or be used to get steakhouse steaks. Click here to read more and for ordering info.
Today we do it the same way all across the world. Our noses lead us to meat roasted by live fire where we eat without forks or linen. Just pig on a stick, grease and goop on our faces. The meat is ethereal, kissed by smoke, hugged by sauce, and licked by fire. "Don’t play with your food" doesn't apply when you're eating barbecue. If you don't get it on your shirt you're not doing it right. This is primal, elemental, sensual eating. Pure carnal joy. Just like our ancestors.
When ribs are smoked they get an incredible flavor and a pink smoke ring. They're not raw! If they were, the pink would be in the center, near the bone. The pink is a by-product of the smoke and combustion gases. Click here to read more about 
Barbecue recipes
World's Best Barbecue Buying Guide
All kinds of 
Stuck indoors? Try these:
The best news is that you can make better ribs at home than any restaurant, even the hallowed temples of barbecue such as Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, Rendezvous in Memphis, and Kreuz Market in Lockhart Texas.
Help Meathead pay for this web site. With a $25 donation you'll get a 100% cotton, brushed twill, adjustable, low profile cap with the patch sewn on. 
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