So, (1) it was a beautiful day, (2) I had plenty of cold beer, and (3) being a holiday weekend - we felt the need for ribs. And here's how I do them!
Here's what we'll need:
Ribs
Rub (seasoning)
Mop Sauce
BBQ sauce
Wood chips (2 cups, soaked)
charcoal
a grill
beer
First off, I use Spareribs as opposed to Baby-Back ribs, for two reasons. One, there is a lot more meat on them than on the Baby-Backs; and two, they are usually a lot cheaper(holiday weekend prices - $4.99/lb Baby-Backs, $2.29/lb Spareribs). The only downside, if there is one, to Spareribs, is that you need to trim the extra meat off of them. This extra meat comes in handy though when its time to "sample" and see how the ribs are coming along. ;) As a general rule, one rack of spareribs will feed about four people if they are NOT the main course; so plan accordingly. Seriously though, any leftovers will not go to waste!
I could go into great detail on how to trim your Spareribs, but this video does a much better job. Check out their site, they have a lot of great stuff there! If that seems like to much, just get the Baby-Backs or ask your butcher to do the trimming. I just like having the "sample" pieces, as does my neighbor.
Now on to the seasonings. I use a modified version of Steve Raichlen's Basic BBQ Rub. I like to add some extra herbs and other spices to it, but it's a good recipe to start with and then change accordingly. One note though, if you are using regular table salt and not Kosker or sea salt, cut the amount in half then add more to taste!!!
I start the day before I plan on smoking the ribs. I trim them up on a large rimmed cookie sheet (makes clean up easier), then season them thoroughly, and put them in a oven roasting bag (sealed tightly) in the fridge overnight.
Mop sauce! In order to keep ribs from drying out while sitting in a charcoal cooker smoking for 5-6 hours, we need to keep them moist and we do that with mop sauce. Legend has it, that the name came from the old time BBQ guys using the head of a (brand new) mop to brush whatever meat was being cooked with the sauce to keep it from drying out. With the advancement of technology, we now have spray bottles, but you can use a (unused) paint-brush as well.
2 cups liquid*
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
*I use beer (a 24 oz. can of Bud, don't use a high quality beer), but beef or chicken broth will work fine too. Just don't use water.
Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain, cool and transfer to a spray bottle.
If you have a favorite BBQ sauce, by all means use it. I make my own, and I believe once you start making your own you'll like it a lot better. Here's the version I start with. I tend to doctor it up with whatever I have on hand, or whatever I feel like.
On to the grill. I use a typical Weber charcoal grill, with a side basket and chimney starter. If you don't have a chimney starter, I highly recommend you get one! It'll be the best $12 you ever spent and your food will not taste like lighter fluid ever again. So, put about two dozen pieces of fresh charcoal in the side basket with about a cup of the soaked (now drained) wood chips on top, and about a dozen pieces in the starter with 2 sheets of newspaper under it and light it. If you don't have a side basket or rail, just pile them up off to one side.
Once the pieces in the starter have grayed over, pour them onto the fresh coals/wood chips. Put the grill grate on, then the ribs and assorted pieces. I use a rib rack, it allows you to put four racks of ribs in the space that would usually be filled by one.
That has two racks of ribs in the center, with the rib tips in the front and back slots, and other trimmed pieces set back from the heat. With this set up, there's no need to replenish the coals with fresh ones. It will burn a little hot for BBQ (about 300°, compared to the preferred 250° -275°), but can be adjust by closing the bottom vent halfway. Cover it and leave it alone for the first hour. This is probably a good time to go and get a fresh beer. ;)
After the first hour, and for every hour afterwards, spray the ribs and assorted pieces down with the mop sauce and flip the pieces on the grate over leaving the ribs in the rack alone. At the two hour mark, add another cup of drained wood chips to the coals. At the four hour mark, brush one of the pieces (small one if it's just you, large one if there is someone else helping you sample) with the BBQ sauce and place it over the coals for 5 minutes, flip and sauce the other side and grill for 5 more minutes. Replenish your beer NOW! Remove from the grill, cut it up, and enjoy!
That's at the four hour mark. Notice how the meat has shrunken some, but not much. You don't want to overcook them and have more than 1/2" of the actual rib bone exposed. Those two pieces in the 12 o'clock position were the unfortunate victi..... erm, I mean samples. :D
At this point, if you want (and/or can't control yourself) you can sauce them up and go to town. I usually take them off closer to the six hour mark and then sauce them and grill them real quick on a gas grill, because the coals are completely out at this point.
I cut them into individual pieces, it makes it easier to keep people from taking the whole rack! If your knife is not that sharp, use an electric knife. After all this work, you don't want to butcher the ribs by hacking them up!
Also, it's a good idea to have a helper and a bucket of water around for safety!
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