It’s BBQ Time!

Kate, over at Gluten Free Gobsmacked decided to host a BBQ Party, and we are all invited!  We all picked a letter of the alphabet to plan our dish around.  I picked the letter “M” and decided to make authentic Memphis-Style Dry-Rub Ribs.  They turned out much better than I expected for a first attempt!  The meat was so tender that it was just falling off the bone.  I served my ribs with home-made cole slaw, which provided just the right amount of crunchy freshness.  (You can find the slaw recipe that I used here.)

(The photo, alas, is not mine, due to a broken camera.)

Ingredients:

1 big rack of spare ribs (you can use baby back ribs if you want, but I like the bigger spare ribs)

FOR THE RUB:

2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups hickory chips or chunks, soaked in cold water

Directions:

Wash the ribs and blot dry.

Combine the ingredients for the rub in bowl and stir to mix.  Rub as much of the mixture on both sides of the ribs as needed to coat.  If you have time, let the ribs “marinate” for a few hours in the fridge.  I didn’t, and it didn’t matter. 

Wrap the ribs tightly in aluminum foil and place in a baking pan (you don’t want a mess in the bottom of your oven).  Cook in a 325 degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours.  This will vary depending on how many ribs you are cooking and what kind they are.  You want them mostly done.

While they are cooking, prepare the grill. If using a charcoal grill, arrange the coals on one side. The meat will go on the other side, so you are cooking over indirect heat. You also want to adjust the vents so the air comes up under the coals and goes out over the meat. (If you have a gas grill, well, you are on your own.) Put the hickory chips on the fire before the ribs.

Place the ribs on the grill and cover the grill. They don’t take long on the grill, maybe 1/2 hour, because they will come out of the oven mostly (if not completely) cooked. The ribs are done when the meat is very tender and it has shrunk back from the ends of the bones. If you want to add wet sauce, add it to the ribs only a few minutes before removing them from the grill (otherwise you will burn it).

Serve, and enjoy!