[Recipe] BBQ baby back ribs

I made BBQ ribs this weekend. This was the first time I’d been able to savour BBQ ribs in close to 10 years. It was a moment that was waaaay too long in the making, but damn! They was good!!

It’s a bit of a convoluted process, but the end result is so worth it if you can’t just to go a grill house and order them from there, as is the case for me. All in all, they took about 4 hours to get done.

This process was adapted from the Meathead’s guide to amazing ribs:

1) Rinse. Rinse the ribs in cool water to remove any bone bits from the butchering. Pat dry with paper towels.

2) Skin ‘n’ trim. If the butcher has not removed the membrane from the back side, do it yourself. Insert a butter knife under the membrane, then your fingers, work a section loose, grip it with a paper towel, and peel it off. Finally, trim the excess fat from both sides.

3) Rub. Coat the meat with a thin layer of vegetable oil because most of the flavourings in the rub are oil soluble, not water soluble. The oil should help the flavour get into the surface and for a better crust. A lot of seasoned barbecue cooks use a base of mustard, but I think oil works better. Sprinkle enough rub to coat all surfaces but not so much that the meat doesn’t show through. That is about 2 tablespoons per side depending on the size of the slab. Many of the herbs and spices in the rub are oil soluble, so the vegetable oil will help them penetrate a little better. Spread the rub on the meat and rub it in. Wash your hands. Wrap the meat in half the foil and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours on a platter or pan to catch leaks. In addition to flavouring the meat, the salt in the rub pulls the juices to the surface and that will help form a crust during the cooking.

Meathead’s Memphis Dust Rub Recipe
Adapted from: http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/meatheads_magic_dust.html

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground ginger powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried rosemary leaves, ground to a powder

4) Setup your cooker for indirect cooking with 2 zones. That means that one side is hot and the other is not. For my gas BBQ, that means only using the left-hand burner. Put a disposable aluminum pan with water on top of the hot burner. Moisture and combustion gasses in a propane grill combine to create a seductive, baconlike flavor in the meat.

5) Adjust the temp. Preheat your cooker to about 225F and try to keep it there throughout the cook. Take your time getting the temp right. Cooking at 225F will allow the meat to roast low and slow, liquefying the collagen in connective tissues and melting fats without getting the proteins knotted in a bunch. It’s a magic temp that creates silky texture, adds moisture, and keeps the meat tender. If you can’t hit 225F, get as close as you can. Don’t go under 200F and try not to go over 250F. On my BBQ, this is about 2/3 down on the dial. A tip to see if the temp is too high is to check the water in the water pan. If there are bubbles, you’re probably too high.

6) Smoke. For charcoal or gas cookers, add 4 ounces of wood at this time. I put some apple wood chips that had been soaked for 30 minutes and then drained in a cast-iron smoke box that I put right on top of the flame. Resist the temptation to add more wood. Nothing will ruin a meal faster and waste money better than oversmoked meat. You can always add more the next time you cook, but you cannot take it away if you oversmoke.

7) Relax. Put the slabs in the BBQ on the cooler side of the grill, meaty side up on a grill pan with a wire tray. Close the lid and go drink a beer and read a book.

8) More smoke. When the smoke disappears after 20-30 minutes, add another 2 ounces of wood. After the first hour, stop adding wood. Adding wood at the beginning of the cook allows better penetration before the meat surface seals itself. If you have more than one slab on, halfway through the cook you will need to move the ribs closest to the fire away from the heat, and the slabs far from the flame in closer. Leave the meat side up. There is no need to flip the slabs. Otherwise, keep your lid on. Opening the lid just upsets the delicate balance of heat, moisture, and oxygen inside your cooker. It can also significantly lengthen the cooking time. No peeking. If you’re lookin’, you ain’t cookin’.

Check the water level every 45 minutes or so and top off with boiling water from the kettle if required.

9) The bounce test. After allow 5-6 hours for St. Louis Cut ribs or 3-4 hours for baby back ribs. The exact time will depend on how thick the slabs are and how steady you have kept the temp. If you use rib holders so they are crammed close to each other, add another hour. Check to see if they are ready. I like the bounce test. Pick up the slab with tongs and bounce them. If the surface cracks and it bends a lot, it is ready.

10) Sauce. Now paint both sides with your favourite home made barbecue sauce. Move the slab directly over the hottest part of the grill in order to caramelise and crisp the sauce. On a gas grill, remove the water pan and crank up all the burners. Sizzle the sauce on one side and then the other. One coat of a thick sauce should be enough, but if you need two, go ahead, but no more! Don’t hide all the fabulous flavors under too much sauce. If you think you’ll want more sauce, put some in a bowl on the table. I left the ribs to grill in direct heat for about 20 minutes, flipping regularly so they didn’t burn.

Home-made BBQ Sauce
1 bottle of reggae reggae love apple tomato ketchup
1/3 tin of Tate & Lyle black treacle (aka molasses)
a splash of balsamic vinegar

Mix everything and simmer until well blended. Adjust taste if too sharp or sweet.

Additional reading:

The Zen of Wood
http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/zen_of_wood.html