Easy 5-step Baby Back Ribs

RIB FAIRY DUST (Just for those guys out there…)
3T. Kosher Salt
3T black pepper
2T brown sugar
1T paprika
2T garlic powder
1T onion powder
2t. mustard powder
dash of cayenne (or more if you like the heat)

While these ribs do take a couple hours to cook, they are simple and do not require much attention or preparation.

1.  Pull off the membrane from underneath each rack of ribs and cut each rack in half.

2.   Coat the ribs evenly with the spice rub, making sure to get both sides.

(At this point you can place the ribs in a glass baking dish cover the ribs and allow them to sit overnight. Or you can move on to the next step.)

3.  Wrap each rack in foil.

(place one piece of foil on the bottom and one on top. Crunch the sides together, leaving room for any steam to move around in the packet.)

4.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours @ 325 degrees.

(Place the ribs in a glass baking dish or on a baking sheet so any drips are not caught by the bottom of your oven)

5.  Once your ribs are done, remove them from the foil.  Finish directly on the grill until both sides are crisp and the rub starts to sizzle.

(If you like barbecue sauce on your ribs, add the sauce during this step. With the grill on med-low, add sauce to the top side of your ribs, close the lid and cook for a 2-3 minutes. Turn and coat the bottom half of your ribs, close the lid and cook a few minutes more. Repeat this step until you have a good layer of caramelized barbecue sauce on your ribs. (2 or 3 times).)

Some people par boil their ribs, but here my opinion why to avoid this method…boiling meat pulls the flavor out of the meat and into the water. Boiling  meat is for making rich Stocks, not to barbecue meat – would you boil a great Ribeye? Remember, tender meat comes from meat that is cooked low and slow over indirect heat, not from the boiling process. Have you ever cooked anything too long in the crock pot and found it was dried out although liquid was in the pot? Yep liquid can dry out meat. It also pulls the flavor from your meat, that is why most roasts call for wine, tomato sauce, or stock to add flavor to the meat while cooking low and slow.

However, If you insist on the boil method, I can attest that ribs do come out tasty, but think how much tastier they could be cooked in their own juices? 

-Enjoy

Amanda

Barbeque!

Yes barbeque not just grilling (you know who you are!).

I bought a smoker this weekend and something was missing….

Disappointment...

Since I already bought the ribs and I want to eat ribs today I will alter my propane grill. Next weekend we smoke! (My daughter and her Auntie Tara will be able to have some then too…they will be so happy!)

Rub
3T. Kosher Salt
3T brown sugar
3T black pepper
2T paprika
2T garlic powder
2T onion powder
2t. mustard powder
dash of cayenne (or more if you like the heat)

Ribs
1 rack of baby back ribs
covered with rub and placed in fridge overnight or a few hours

SET UP FOR MY PROPANE GRILL:
Hickory is my favorite so I wrapped up some hickory chunks in foil. If I had an aluminum throw away pan I would have used that but instead I just used my roasting pan with the rack placed on top of the pan the opposite way so that I can put water in the pan and keep the ribs above it.

Ribs

Using one burner only, I placed the ribs on the opposite side of the grill of the burner that was turned on. I kept the temp about 220-230 until the ribs are done.

“Done” is an art that I’m still perfecting. Some places say until the meat falls off the bone. That is good and all, but I like the ribs a little “less done” so you have to pull them off with your teeth, but they still come clean off the bone. So about 3-4 hours.

But first you have to decide how you like your ribs…falling off the bone, or slightly less done…then figured out how long it takes in your environment (altitude and temps may change the cooking time) with your equipment.

If you use sauce, after slow cooking the ribs, crank up that heat on your grill. Slather those baby backs with some good sauce and place on grill and cook until the sauce carmelizes.

Barbeque Sauce

I love vinegar-sweet sauce and have played with this recipe a lot. Everytime I make it I seem to alter it maybe a little more. But this is the best version yet.

1/2 white onion (Or 2 shallots)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. beer
1 can tomato sauce
1/4 c. vinegar
2/3 c. brown sugar
1T worchestershire
1T soy sauce
1T hot sauce
1t. mustard powder

Saute onion and garlic in butter for 2 minutes. Add beer next and stir. Add the rest of the ingredients – adding the tomato sauce last. Simmer for 1 hour.