How to cook Cajun Ribs

From Dr. Tony Soileau:

While Gary Radz and I were teaching a course in Toronto and missing the best Marketing Meeting ever put on, Gary told me he got a Smoker and anted some recipes. So yesterday when I smoked some ribs I took photos as I went. Now smoking ribs is like doing composite. Everyone has their way and everyone thinks their way is the best. Well, this is my way, and yes I think it is the best.

Start with Baby back ribs. I do not use beef ribs or spare ribs. Only baby back. I start by adding a mixture of olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice and coat the ribs. Ten I use a combination of Lime Pepper, Cajun Seasoning, and cane sugar for my rub. I like my ribs to have a light smoky but tangy flavor. Tangy just slightly more than smoky. Top it off by spreading some honey around to hold everything in place. Ignore the pineapple and peanuts in the photo. That is for the shrimp.

This is what they look like coated with rub.

OK. Next is the wood. This is important. I use several kinds and combinations. I have pecan sawdust,
pecan and oak disk, oak branches, and hickory chips.

For ribs I use a combination of pecan sawdust that will smoke through the entire cooking time (4 hours) but not give a strong smoke flavor and hickory chips that give a strong flavor. The hickory will bur out in an hour because it did not have time to soak up the water.
This is my wood box the way I fill it with pecan and hickory soaked in apple juice.

Next the ribs are placed in the smoker and cooked for 4 hours at 250 degrees. No higher or they will over cook and no lower or you may eat uncooked pork. Can you say trichinosis? Not sure of the spelling. Don't check on them until 3 1/2 hours. Every time you open the door to the smoker you let the heat out!


Four hours later this is how they should look.



OK. Time to "turn em and burn em"! I like to use Stubs Bar Be Que sauce. I ate at his place last year in Austin and fell in love with his sauce. I called and they ship it to me. But now I have found it in Albertson's Grocery in Lafayette. Cover all over and turn over so they are facing the flame for 3 minutes. You want the fire hot so it will caramelize the sauce onto the ribs. Do this twice. If you have the right sauce you can't put too much. Don't overcook. Very high heat and only three minutes.


Now you have ribs that will fall off the bone, just enough hickory flavor, and very tangy. Now add some cold beer, beans, and corn. Repeat as needed. AiiiEEEEEEE (Cajun for damn that is good)

Tony