Beef Ribs on the "Q" Part 2

Meaty, tender and full of flavor, these slow BBQ beef ribs are in a class of their own.

If you remember, in part one, there was a great deal of prep. Happily these from-the-butcher ribs simply needed the silver skin removed. For some reason, quality I suppose, the silver skin on the ribs I normally buy from the butcher is easily removed. while I really struggled with the supermarket slab. This rack of ribs just required a cut to lift an edge large enough to grip with a tea towel, then it pulled right off. Pierce the fat to aid rendering and marinate!

Spicy Pineapple Marinade:

2 cups pineapple juice
4 tablespoons ground chilies or your favorite chili powder
1 tablespoon bean paste or soy sauce

Blend together, pour over meat in a seal-able bag and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator at least one hour before you plan to grill.

Prepare coals for indirect heat and BBQ meat (covered) for 2 hours (depending on size) turning over every 20 minutes. Remove the meat from the grill and baste with:

Pineapple Sauce:

2 cups pineapple chunks, pureed
2 tablespoons bean paste
2 tablespoons ground chilies
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Grill over direct coals uncovered for another 20 - 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite sides and plenty of napkins. I was lucky enough to be given a tour behind the counter at Deluxe Foods of Aptos and learned even more about the differences between major supermarket meats and the meat found at your local butcher. The obvious we all know. If the shop or meat counter is dirty or smells "off" - spare yourself and family, don't patronize the store.
 
Deluxe has a spacious area for the butchers to work, stainless steel, tile and thick white plastic cutting surfaces. Even though I visited towards the end of the day, the place was spotless, every surface gleaming. Recently voted one of the best butchers in Santa Cruz County, Deluxe has a well earned reputation for great products and great service.


Another very important red flag to watch for is organization. If a meat counter blends varieties, in the storage or display cases, find another store.  A safe shop will not have different varieties of meats, poultry, fish and processed meats jumbled together. They have different handling requirements! The meat department manager, Sergio, brought out large slabs of beautiful beef ribs. Just look at the meaty ribs - not a whole lot of bone as there was on the supermarket rack. Here the meat has a nice matte finish - your meat should not be shiny, and like these racks, should be a deep red color - all good signs. As you can see unlike the supermarket variety, there is no waste - no big gross flap of fat, just a nice amount of fat covered by silver skin. What I really love about going to the butcher, besides the well informed and helpful people, are the many varieties of healthy choices. Grass fed meat, heart healthy ostrich, buffalo - including these gorgeous buffalo burgers and Angus steaks!