After you’ve installed your shiny new Earth Oven, it’s time to break it in!
For beginners, keeping it simple is a good way to start.
Let’s do a cook together.
We commence with food selection, followed by the Earth Oven cooking method of choice, because the Earth Oven has many culinary capabilities and there is more than one way to cook the same foods. For this example, let’s cook some Baby Back Ribs, and let’s use the sturdy Earth Oven Grill Racks to get the job done!
Ribs come in many sizes and specialty cuts, and the ways of preparing Ribs are as varied as your imagination might venture. Some people use “Prepping Ingredients,” like apple cider, mustard, honey, slathered in BBQ sauce, etc., etc., etc. I’ve even heard of people using mayonnaise! These countless toppings are many times accompanied with dry rubs too. It’s easy to get carried away with all of the many rub-to-condiment combinations. They’re never ending, like the square root of pi! For this cook, however, we plan to ‘keep-it-simple.’ How ’bout salt, pepper, and ground mustard seed? Period.
When cooking ribs, you don’t want to cook at temperatures higher than 275-degrees Fahrenheit, and a preferred cooking temperature is ideally around 225-degrees. Typically, you can let ribs cook in your Earth Oven for four-to-six hours, depending on your initial temperature at the time of placement. Most often, it is advisable to direct your Earth Oven temperature up a bit initially, as the temperature will slowly drop as time passes and the fuel is consumed. For our example, I recommend a starting temperature of 300-to-325-degrees, and if the embers are sufficiently aged/burned, the temperature will gradually settle at the ideal cooking temperature range. This is a fun aspect of the cook; one where previous Earth Oven experience will come into play.
Remember, the favorable insulating properties of the surrounding earth will provide for a slow drop in temperature accompanied by a longer temperature hold. As such, the Earth Oven cooking method offers a very efficient use of fuel. Additionally, experience will teach you that outdoor temperatures, soil composition and moisture content are all contributing factors in the cooking process. Weather and the mineral-and-moisture content of the surrounding soils can greatly influence the cooking environment, both in lingering temperatures as well as the tastes infused in your foods as they cook.
Please, don’t be overwhelmed, however, rather keep an open mind to these variables as you are cooking, as they are but a part of the overall experience of cooking in the earth! The good news is that the Earth Oven holds a steady, long-lasting cooking temperature. It consistently finds a temperature settling point that is easy to monitor.
Ok, back to Cooking Ribs!
Before we put the Ribs in the Earth Oven, it’s important to have the proper fuel. I prefer a hard-wood and charcoal blend. Oak or Hickory are a nice addition to your standard charcoal smoked ribs, and the combination of both hardwoods can really make it easier to maintain steady and consistent temperatures in the cooking chamber. You may even wish to pick up some Earth Oven Competition Hardwood Chips for Pork! These chips are great when added just prior to the time that you place the Ribs on the cooking grate. The Earth Oven – tested blend of smoky goodness is sure to give you the right flavor balance that is preferred for your competition style cook!
After the initial fire has had time to burn down into embers and coals, you are ready to insert your Ribs! So as to avoid excessive hand heat exposure, be sure to use the Earth Oven Handle Extension Tools to lower your grill rack into the Earth Oven. For high heat insertions we recommend using Earth Oven Mitts as well. Better safe than sorry!
I prefer sprinkling Earth Oven Hardwood Chips onto the hot coals just before I put in the food. This is a great way to get the smoke rolling! However if you’re not quick to get the lid on fast, you might get caught in the middle of a smoke plume! Experience is a great teacher! Remember, use extreme C-A-U-T-I-O-N when adding any fuel to an existing fire!
Once the food is in the Earth Oven, and the lid is secured, leave the lid vent closed and wait for the temperature to rise. Eventually, the temperature will cease to rise and the lid thermometer will give you an accurate read of the temperature in the cooking chamber. If the temperature is too high (over 325-degrees), simply open the vent and let out some of the excess heat. Keep a close eye on on the thermometer. When the vent is open, it can quickly reduce the cooking temperature in the cooking chamber. When you’ve hit your desired temperature (Ideally 275-degrees) you can close the lid vent, sit back, and enjoy the cooking process as ‘Mother Nature’ does her work!
Note. If you are trying to maintain specific temperatures, you may need to add additional coals to your oven. This is where a standard “stick burner” can be very helpful. If you do not have one, simply remove your grill rack, re-introduce additional fuel, and start the process over.
Now, if we’ve done everything right, in a short time we’ll be ready to enjoy tender, juicy, smoky flavored Ribs!
Mmmmm. Can’t wait!
Another useful Earth Oven feature is that while you are waiting to serve your food, you may use the Earth Oven as the perfect warmer for the remainder of your food items. We use this feature often for simple things, like warming-up bread or tortillas, but it will keep all of our other foods warm too.
As you gain experience cooking in your your Earth Oven, you will quickly pick-up on many other cooking points that can help you “customize” and really make the cook “your own.”
Today gave us an opportunity to go over a simple Rib cook. Join us on the next Earth Oven cook, where we can all learn more about new and exciting ways to cook other delectable foods just like our ancestors did!
Thank you for hanging around the fire as we reviewed these helpful cooking tips for one of the worlds favorite grilling meats! BBQ Ribs!
‘Till The Next Time,
Rick
Earth Oven. The Newest Most Ancient Way To Cook!Rick Steinke