We do not add any spices or rubs. Not at all against that, but to me, six hours of cooking nullifies the flavor of anything above and beyond the apple wood smoke.
I like this method and I will go with it again. Our ribs stayed on too long.
Fall off the bone is what some people like, but at 6:03 in the video above, he shows his finished product and reveals a better result, which is what I will try for next time.
Whidbey Dog House
Those who visited us on Whidbey remember that my ribs never seemed to be done on time. We are past that now. We just need to adjust so that they are not overdone.
Serving suggestion:
Neighborhood spirit:
Warm weather safety:
Stay hydrated at all times.
Learning
A couple of videos I paid attention to after this project was done.
I like this method and I will go with it again. Our ribs may have stayed on for too long. Fall off the bone is what some people like, but at 13:38 in the video above, he shows his finished product and reveals a better result, which is what I will try for next time.
Above: Pork Ribs coming out of a slow oven with rough cut fresh garlic, sauerkraut, and a bit of your favorite BBQ sauce. We covered it with the glass lid- upper left.
Apple Wood Smoke
We set up the Weber like this:
Apple Wood Chunks
We use the chimney method/no lighter fluid to start:
Add about a quart of hot tap water. Do not fill all the way or it will slop on the coals when you wire brush the grill. Check water level and add more when needed when turning the meat.
Add some wood chunks to the charcoal when you dump the chimney.
Chilly Weather
We put the meat on for about 90 minutes for smoking, then took it inside to finish in a slow oven.
For years, I have attempted to make good ribs on the weber. Sometimes it turns out just right. Sometimes guests are over and the ribs aren’t ready on time. Sometimes, I am good with the hours-long ritual of watching over the smoky grill.
I have been to see my buddy a couple times and he does ribs that are boiled first, then go to the grill. They turn out really nice.
I have never attempted to learn this method. The time is now.
What others are saying:
What we did:
Removed the membrane from the ribs, then cut them up.
Boiled some beer, added ribs, turned heat down to a slow boil.
To the beer boil, we added:
A whole bulb of garlic, two whole jalapeños. Some cracked, black pepper. Half cup sugar. Half cup salt.
Left the ribs in for no more than 30 mins. Removed ribs and placed in the refrigerator overnight.
Time to set up the Weber – What we use:
Apple Wood Chunks
We use the chimney method/no lighter fluid to start:
Add some wood chunks to the charcoal when you dump the chimney.
Add about a quart of hot tap water. Do not fill all the way or it will slop on the coals when you wire brush the grill. Check water level and add more when needed when turning the meat.
It was a breezy day out here.
The meat was on for almost 4 hours, but I was experimenting with turning the top vent to the almost closed position. I will try to keep the heat up a bit and see if it all works out a bit faster next time.
Our mobile BBQ workstation:
Neighborhood Spirit
The ribs went on for about 45 mins with no sauce, just smoke. Turned them once during this time.
Added sauce a couple of times.
Done
Kitchen Table
Vegan Compromise
Two person household. My wife is vegan/plant based. She works with plant based recipes and cooking all year. She made the slaw and pasta below. She makes the best slaw dressing I have ever tasted.
Very happy with this method for ribs. This was a fun project and it may be the way for me to go from now on?
My loving wife assisted with all phases of this project. It was a fun time for us. She is an expert in the kitchen.
Watching the fog clear on a Fort Ebey walk with Olivia. Later, back home for Harvest Fest 2018 with friends and family. The rain left us alone for the day.
Above: Winner of J.P.’s Rib Challenge – November 2025
We went with a basic version of this method:
