Barbecue Pork Ribs

Name: Barbecue Pork Ribs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 h 30 min
Total time: 6 h
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 2 racks pork spare ribs or baby back ribs, about 2.5 kg (5½ lb) in total; 20 g (3½ tsp) fine sea salt; 2 tbsp light brown sugar; 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika; 2 tsp black pepper; 2 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp chili powder; wood chunks or chips, apple, cherry or hickory; 4 tbsp apple juice; 2 tbsp honey; 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter; 250 ml (1 cup) barbecue sauce, your favorite, or 150 ml ketchup, 3 tbsp cider vinegar, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire and 1 tsp smoked paprika simmered 5 minutes

Tender, glazed spare ribs with a smoky, sticky finish

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 30 min
Total: 6 h
Level: Some skill

Ribs that pull cleanly from the bone but are not mushy. They cook slowly over indirect heat with a little smoke, are wrapped to finish tenderizing, then glazed over the fire until sticky. The same timings work in the oven.

Ingredients

Ribs

2racks pork spare ribs or baby back ribsabout 2.5 kg (5½ lb) in total
20 gfine sea salt (3½ tsp)
2 tbsplight brown sugar
1 tbspsweet smoked paprika
2 tspblack pepper
2 tspgarlic powder
1 tspchili powder
wood chunks or chipsapple, cherry or hickory

Wrap

4 tbspapple juice
2 tbsphoney
30 gunsalted butter (2 tbsp)

Glaze

250 mlbarbecue sauce (1 cup)your favorite, or 150 ml ketchup, 3 tbsp cider vinegar, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire and 1 tsp smoked paprika simmered 5 minutes

Allergens: milk, fish, gluten, sulphites
Origin: United States
Season: Summer

Method

Turn each rack bone-side up. Slide a butter knife under the thin membrane on the back, grip it with a paper towel and pull it off.
Mix the salt, sugar and spices and rub all over the ribs. Leave for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge. 30 min
Set up the grill for indirect heat at 120–135°C (250–275°F), with a pan of water under the cool side and wood on the coals or over the lit burner (see the chapter introduction).
Cook the ribs meat-side up on the cool side, lid closed, until the rub is set and the surface is a deep red-brown, about 3 hours for spare ribs (2 hours for baby backs). 3 h
Lay each rack meat-side down on a large double sheet of foil. Add half the apple juice, honey and butter to each, wrap tightly and return to the cool side until tender: a probe or toothpick slides between the bones with almost no resistance, about 1½ hours (1 hour for baby backs). Internal temperature will be 90–95°C (195–203°F). 1 h 30 min
Unwrap carefully (hot steam). Brush the ribs with sauce, then cook uncovered on the cool side, lid closed, for 15–30 minutes, brushing again once, until the glaze is sticky and set. For more char, move them over direct heat for 1–2 minutes per side, watching closely. 25 min
Rest 10 minutes, then slice between the bones and serve with extra sauce. 10 min

Why it works

Ribs contain a lot of connective tissue that only softens with long cooking; at the wrap stage, the trapped moisture speeds this up and the honey and butter enrich it. A final unwrapped period lets the surface dry and the glaze caramelize. The 'bend test' is reliable: lift the rack in the middle with tongs; when it bends and the surface cracks, it is ready.

Common mistakes

Glazing too early: sugary sauces burn over hours of cooking. Brush on only at the end.
Leaving the membrane on: it turns leathery and stops the rub penetrating.

Variations

Dry ribs: Skip the glaze and serve with an extra dusting of rub and the sauce on the side.

Make ahead and storage

Cook through step 5 a day ahead; chill in their foil, then reheat at 150°C (300°F) for 30 minutes and glaze.

Notes

Oven fallback: cook the rubbed ribs on a rack over a foil-lined sheet pan at 140°C (275°F) for 2½ hours, wrap and continue for 1½ hours, then unwrap, brush with sauce and finish under a hot grill (broiler) for 3–5 minutes until sticky. Barbecue sauces and Worcestershire often contain fish, gluten, mustard or celery; check your label.