Problem: Article: Food safety is important when cooking raw meat, so find a fresh pink rack of ribs at your local grocery store. Many people choose to smoke with St. Louis style (spare) ribs, which come from near the belly on the pig. They are substantial and tasty — very easy to cook. If you like, you can also select baby-back ribs, which come from the back side, near the loin.  Since baby back ribs are a little less substantial, they're harder to smoke while still keeping them juicy and tender. Adjust this recipe if you do decide to use baby back ribs; the cooking time will lower significantly. While you can smoke prime rib or standing rib roast, that cut contains more meat than spare and baby back ribs do, so you'll need to follow slightly different instructions to cook it properly. on the back of the ribs. With a fingernail or a knife, work your way under the light membrane on the back of the ribs. Grab a hold of the loosened membrane with a paper towel and pry it from the ribs. Much of it should come off in one fell swoop. Discard. With a sharp knife, remove any excess fat that's still clinging to your ribs. Although a little fat is fine and will probably render off during the cooking process, eating a chewy hunk of fat when you're expecting a tender morsel of meat is not the most pleasant experience. A little bit of extra preparation during this step will make the eating experience a lot nicer in the end. ake your rub. A dry rub is a spice mix that coats the rack of ribs and provides complementary flavor to the meat's natural taste. Dry rubs can be made any number of ways (dehydration, spice-mixing, etc.) and using any number of recipes. Explore different recipes and variations to suit your own tastes, or use this very basic dry rub as a springboard for your own invention:  1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup paprika 3 tablespoons black pepper 3 tablespoons coarse salt 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 2 teaspoon celery seeds 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Don't be stingy with your dry rub. Even if you're planning on smothering your ribs with a wet sauce later on in the cooking process, it helps to have the ribs nice and coated early on in the process, when the bulk of the cooking happens. Use 1-2 tablespoons of dry rub at least per pound of meat. After applying the rub, let the meat start to soak up some of the delicious spices you've acquainted it with. (Meat, meet spice; spice, meet meat.) This does two things in particular:  It allows the dry rub to start penetrating the meat, permeating it with flavor. It allows for a juicier rack of ribs. When salt hits meat, it brings moisture out to the surface. If you apply your rub and cook right away, the moisture brought out to the surface will leave your precious pork. If you apply your rub and let the meat rest, however, the moisture journeys back into the meat through a process called osmosis. This process produces consistently juicier meat.
Summary: Select your cut of meat. Remove the thick, sinewy membrane Spot-check the ribs for any substantial bits of fat and remove. . Apply your rub generously over the entire rack of ribs, coating it evenly. Let your ribs come to room temperature while you set up.

Problem: Article: Park the car on a level surface and engage the parking brake. Park at home or at an auto garage if possible. If it turns out you can't fix the problem on the spot, you don't want to be forced to close your hood again to drive to a mechanic. If you're not familiar with the car, look for the interior release latch under the steering wheel, low down near the driver's door, or in the corner of the glove box. This often has a picture of a car with an open hood.  Some older cars only have an exterior release. Look for a latch under the front lip of the hood. If you are locked out of the car, skip ahead to fixes that do not require interior access. When working correctly, this causes the hood to move upward a short distance. If you hear a noise but the hood does not move at all, the hood is probably stuck. Continue to the next step to fix it. If you do not hear anything, there's likely a problem with the cable or latch mechanism. Skip down to the next section. If the hood does open partially, all you need to do is press the exterior latch at the front of the hood. This latch is usually at the center or just to one side, and may depress upward or to the side. Stand outside the driver's seat and reach in to hold the interior release in the fully pulled position. With your other hand, slap the hood with an open palm. If you're lucky, the hood just needs a jolt. Take care not to dent your hood. You may need to use force, but keep your hand in an open palm position. Have a friend pull the interior release and keep it in that position. Stand at the front of the vehicle and pull up on the hood slowly but steadily. If the only problem is rust or grime, you can usually overcome it. If the hood won't budge, don't force it. Chilly weather or frost can cause the hood to stick. Let the engine idle for a while to thaw frozen parts, then try opening the hood again. If the hood still won't open, the cable or latch mechanism might be at fault. Continue to the next section to keep troubleshooting. Once you get your hood open, check for broken latch parts or a frayed cable, which needs replacing. If you don't see obvious problems, just lubricate the latch with a penetrating oil.  It may also help to lubricate the cable with a spray lubricant. Insert the straw nozzle at the cable's end, between the inner cable and outer sheath. Pinch the area with a cloth and spray. Do not use silicone spray under your hood. It can contaminate the oxygen sensor, throwing off engine performance.
Summary:
Park the vehicle. Locate the release latch. Test the interior release latch. Slap the hood to get it unstuck. Attempt to open the hood with an assistant. Leave the engine running in cold weather. Inspect the latch after opening.