Whether prepared on the ground fire for 12 hours, or made on the barbecue at home, the rib is considered the second favorite cut of Brazilians — second only to the picanha.
Its flavor is indeed incomparable, but its preparation is slow. That’s why, at those weekend barbecues where the whole family gets together, the “grand finale” ends up being when the rib is ready, and that’s after at least six hours of waiting.
I’ve separated some tips for you not to go wrong when choosing a good rib. For starters, prefer those with the thinnest bones and the lighter, whitish fat — this is a sign that the ox is younger, with a more tender meat.
There are several cuts extracted from the rib, such as the mingam that is in the lower part of the rib cage. This is a higher cut, with more rigid and fibrous meat, and therefore requires more cooking time.
The strip roast, where cross cuts are made in the fore rib, finger-thick, can be grilled quickly over high heat, like a steak. In some places you can find the butterfly rib, very similar to the strip roast, but much wider, four fingers thick.
Its cut goes from the front to the back.
When prepared whole on the ground fire, usually roasted with wood, the rib takes the name of PA.
I prefer the fore rib with a rectangular shape and a good amount of meat. It is in the top five slats. It has a softer meat and a greater amount of marbling, which is the amount of fat interspersed between the fibers of the meat.
To bake, count one hour for each bone, always starting with the bone facing down. Then, another hour with the meat facing down, over low heat, about 50 centimeters from the coals, and seasoned with coarse salt.
To serve, let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
You can prepare in cellophane or aluminum foil to speed up the process, as both tend to keep the temperature even and higher, taking about an hour to prepare.
I want to know: are you on the team that thinks it’s worth waiting for every minute to taste a nice rib?
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