recipes for the best rib sauce

[grantspain]

A big cry of help to all you Americans-we've got a big bbq competition going on this weekend and i'm testing different sauces for ribs,if anyone's got great recipes I would appreciate their help-I want to win this one .Also anyone know anything about Brisket of Beef,e.g how to cook it,what exactly is it,what if any sauce is required

[Hoopz]

The best way to cook a brisket is to smoke it either in a pit or in a smoker.  You want to use a low temperature to cook it regardless of how you do it.  If you don't have access to a smoker and have to cook it either on a charcoal grill or in an oven, you need to set the temperature at about 200 degrees F (not sure what that is in Celsius  ).

Brisket is a tough cut of meat that turns very tender when cooked over a long period of time.  Look to cook it 1 to 1.5 hours (American, not sure how long that is in Celsius  ) per pound.  You want to have a brisket that is "packer-trimmed".  That means that a big layer of fat is left on the brisket.  When the meat is cooked, you want the fat side to be up so that the fat bastes the meat as it cooks.

As to whether or not to use sauce, it can depend.  I would suggest that you use a rub on the outside of the meat, let it sit on there overnight, and you can have sauce as an option for people that want it.  I would suggest that you NOT put sauce on the brisket as you cook it.  The rub will get it flavor while the slow cooking process makes it tender. 

Do some googling for some recipes for how to cook it in the oven if necessary.  You can always use a beer based mop to help keep it tender, while wrapping the meat in foil and then placing it in the oven.

I've got some recipes for sauce at home that I can post tomorrow.  As for sauce for them, you will get some people saying that ribs always have to have sauce, while others will say that they never need sauce.  A good rub on the ribs can make them taste incredible.  I would suggest using a rub and having sauce available for those who want it.

8:30 in the morning and I am starving now.   Thanks!   

[miles2912]

This is from Alton Brown and makes some great ribs.  I don't broil them at the end.  I put them on the BBQ and baste with the glaze.  Good Stuff.

Alton Brown's No-Backyard Baby Back Ribs

"I love baby back ribs because they deliver flavor and finger-lickin' goodness with little fuss and even less time," says Alton Brown. "I have friends who smoke their ribs for hours and hours and then wonder why they're tough. The reason is connective tissue, lots of it, and no amount of dry heat is going to dissolve that. If you can't imagine baby back ribs without smoke, however, go ahead and smoke them for an hour or so before the braising step. Personally, I don't bother. I often wear rubber gloves at the table and eat these ribs over a large mixing bowl. It isn't pretty."

2 full rack/slab baby back ribs

Kosher salt

Shake No. 9 (see note)
1 cup orange juice (not fresh squeezed)
1 cup prepared margarita mix
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne

You will also need:
Paper towels
Extra-wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil
Shallow roasting pan
Saucier or small sauce pan
Kitchen shears
Broiler pan

Application: braising, then broiling

Rinse the ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a sheet of extra-wide, heavy-duty aluminum foil. (The foil should be 4 inches longer than the ribs on either end.) Season liberally on both sides with the salt and Shake No. 9.

Turn the ribs meat-side-down and tightly seal inside the foil by folding and rolling the longer edges together, then closing the ends tight over the ribs. Place the packet in the roasting pan and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours, turning the sealed packet over once.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the packet from the refrigerator and unroll one end, shaping the foil upward like a funnel. Pour in the orange juice and the margarita mix. Reseal the foil packet and see-saw it back and forth a couple of times to evenly distribute the liquid inside. Return the packet to the pan and place the pan in the middle of the oven. After 1 hour, reduce the temperature to 250 degrees and cook until tender, approximately 2 hours.

Remove the pan from the oven, unroll one end of the packet, carefully drain all the juice into a saucier or small saucepan, and add the honey, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, espresso powder, and cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently until reduced to a glaze that coats a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat.

Move oven rack to the next-to-the-top position and turn on the broiler (use the high setting if you have a choice). Remove the slab from the foil packet and cut it into four equal sections (I use kitchen shears for this). Place ribs on the broiling pan, meat side up, brush with the glaze, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reglaze and repeat until the ribs are a dark mahogany color. Flip the ribs bone side up and glaze, and broil a minute longer.

Remove and allow to cool a couple of minutes before serving, preferably with potato salad or copious amounts of cole slaw.

Makes 1 to 3 servings, depending on who's doing the eating

NOTE: A part can be any amount - a tablespoon, for example - depending on how much is needed. For one rack of ribs, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of rub will be sufficient. The ratio of ingredients for Rub No. 9 is: 5 parts brown sugar, 3 parts chile powder, 1 part garlic powder, 1/2 part ground thyme, 1/4 part cayenne, and 1/4 part allspice.

[RickDIII]

The best way to cook a brisket is to smoke it either in a pit or in a smoker.  You want to use a low temperature to cook it regardless of how you do it.  If you don't have access to a smoker and have to cook it either on a charcoal grill or in an oven, you need to set the temperature at about 200 degrees F (not sure what that is in Celsius   ).

I know it's a little late now, but for future reference there are a number of sites that show how to build a cheap smoker - most start with a steel trashcan.  It's on my list of diy projects...not likely I'll ever get that far...

http://www.cruftbox.com/cruft/docs/elecsmoker.html

Note - I only trust sites that show the guy is drinking a beer while constructing the smoker