Summer is here and it’s time to fire up the grill or smoker and start cooking. Winegars in Roy and Clearfield are known for their moist, fall-off-the-bone ribs that they smoke out front of the store, in their Treager. Lucky for you, Winegar’s Deli Manager, Ashlee Sorenson, is sharing some tips on using a smoker and some delicious recipes that will be perfect for all your backyard barbecues this summer.

“Traegers are so simple to use,” she said. “It’s kind of an art because you can cook it slow and on low or it can also be used as a regular grill and cook things faster.”

Choosing pellets

Pellets are an important part of the Traeger process. They not only provide the flavor, but they’re also the source that fuels the smoker. The flavors include alder, apple, cherry, hickory, maple, mesquite, oak, pecan and more.

“We use cherry pellets,” said Ashlee. “But it’s really just personal preference. Try a few and see which one you like best.”

Smoking the perfect ribs

For Winegar’s famous ribs, they use spare ribs. Spare ribs come from the belly of the pig. They are typically flatter and well marbled and are quite meaty. Prepare the ribs a day in advance by removing the membrane. The membrane is located on the underside of the ribs, along the bone. Slide a butter knife in between the membrane and the bone and lift gently. Pull the membrane away from the ribs and throw away. Season the ribs with Aunt Edna’s BBQ Rub and put the ribs in the fridge and let them soak in the seasoning overnight. The next day smoke them on low for about four hours. Pull them off and braise them in the oven for an additional three hours.

“That last step of putting them in the oven is what makes them so moist and fall of the bone,” she said.

Smoking the perfect appetizer

When it comes to appetizers for your summer bbqs, Sorenson recommends bacon wrapped asparagus. Start by trimming one bunch of asparagus and coating it evenly with olive oil. Then sprinkle the asparagus with onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Wrap each piece of asparagus with one piece of bacon. Put Traeger on Smoke with the lid open, temperature set on High 450 degrees. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

Winegars has a great selection of fresh meat products. Their in-store butchers are always there to offer help and answer any meat-related questions you may have. They also sell Traegars, as well as pellets and seasonings.