Pork Spare Ribs

Submitted by fuzz

This is my personal recipe for slow barbecued spare ribs. I tend to use standard spare ribs, not "baby back" ribs, as they tend to be more forgiving. "Baby back" ribs have less fat in the meat and thus are much easier to dry out. This is not a recipe if you're looking for a fast meal. Proper barbecuing requires two things: low heat and lots of time. This recipe serves 3-4 people, or fewer if they've got big appetites ;)

Let's set a few ground rules and dispel some myths:
 * 1) Do not cook your ribs in the oven before you grill them. It's simply unnecessary.
 * 2) Do not boil ribs before you grill them. Boiling meat and bones is only done when making soup stock, and you're leaving the flavor in the water.
 * 3) Do not baste continuously with BBQ sauce while cooking. Most BBQ sauce has a lot of sugar in it, which will caramelize and taste like shit.  "Caramelize" is a fancy word for "burn."  Burnt ribs make Baby Jesus cry.  (Yes, my rub has brown sugar in it, but it's not mostly sugar and won't burn if you don't mess it up.)
 * 4) Do not cook your ribs in the open air. It's much too difficult to regulate the temperature and you will end up with inconsistent internal temperatures.  In meat, and especially in pork, that is bad bad bad news.  You might think that "Open Pit" barbecuing sounds romantic, but it's really just an invitation for food poisoning.
 * 5) Do not turn the ribs while they are cooking, and do not cook the ribs meat side down. Always in one place, always bone side down.  If you must turn them to get even heat, that's fine, but try to open the lid as little as you have to.
 * 6) Relax! You are cooking at a low temp for a long time.  If they stay on the grill for 10 extra minutes, it's not going to make much of a difference.  BBQing is easy.

Ingredients

 * One Rack Pork Spare Ribs (~4lbs)
 * 1 tbsp black pepper
 * 1 tbsp brown sugar
 * 1 tsp cayenne pepper (I like mine hot - use less if spicy isn't your thing!)
 * 1 tbsp celery salt
 * 1 tbsp chili powder
 * 1 tbsp cumin
 * 1 tbsp garlic powder
 * 1 tbsp onion powder
 * 1 tsp oregano
 * 1 tbsp paprika
 * 1 tsp salt
 * (Optional) One bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Tools

 * 1 pair of pliers
 * 1 meat thermometer
 * Aluminum foil
 * Brown paper grocery bag

Directions
Prepare the Meat:
 * 1) Across the back of the ribs are two things that need to be discarded. The first is a flap of meat that runs along underside of the ribs.  Cut it off.
 * 2) Second, there is a membrane that runs along the back of the rack. I use a pair of clean pliers and pull it off.  It is also possible to remove it with your fingers, but it is more difficult.
 * 3) Wash the rack lightly under cool running water to remove excess blood. Drip dry and place on a large cutting board or plate, meat side down.

Aye, There's The Rub:
 * 1) Mix all of the spices together in one bowl. I normally just mix it up with a fork, but you can use a food processor if you want a finer texture.
 * 2) Spread the rub with your hands on the back of the ribs. Cover fully but don't pile it on too awful thick.
 * 3) Flip the ribs so that the meat side is now up and repeat, covering the ribs fully with the rub
 * 4) Go do something else for an hour. Seriously.  Let the rub sit on the meat for about an hour.  Let the ribs warm up to room temperature, and let the rub set in for a bit.  Some people will tell you to let it sit overnight for more flavor.  They are wrong.  The most I've ever rested my ribs before grilling was 2 hours, but that was because I drank too much beer while prepping them and fell asleep in my recliner.

BBQing: Slow and Low
 * 1) Depending on the type of grill you have, you need to do a few things different. Your target temperature is about 220F.
 * 2) For a gas grill with multiple burners, I tend to cook using the indirect method. Turn on one burner, put the food on the other, and regulate the burner setting for 220.  If you have to use direct heat, I tend to use aluminum foil with trenches creased in to whisk away the grease.  If you don't, the fat will collect on the foil and actually fry (and eventually burn) the bottom of the ribs.  That's bad.
 * 3) For a charcoal grill, you want your grill temp with the lid down to be about 350F when you start. Spread out the coals liberally, leave the air vents wide open, and place the rack on the grill.  The temperature will gradually fall to about 225-250F as the ribs cook.
 * 4) Don't open the lid! Peeking is bad, as the key to successful BBQing is low, consistent heat.
 * 5) Cook for approximately 2.5 hours. Add 10 minutes for every time you peek.  No, seriously.  The meat is done when the internal temperature (measure between the ribs, but be careful not to hit the bone) is 190F.  If you don't have a meat thermometer, pull on the bones.  If they separate but have a bit of resistance, the meat is done.
 * 6) Some people like to baste their ribs with BBQ sauce while they're still grilling. Those people aren't allowed in my house.  But, if you must, an average BBQ sauce should be diluted with one part water for every 2 parts sauce (for an average thickness sauce).  Wait until you've got about 15 minutes of cooking time left, and slop the sauce on and let it run off.  Personally, I like to add a sauce that compliments my rub (which is a bit spicy) with a tangy or sweet sauce for dipping.

Don't Eat That!
 * 1) After the ribs are cooked, do not eat them immediately!
 * 2) Wrap the ribs lightly in aluminum foil and place them in a paper bag. Crimp the top of the bag tight and leave it alone for an hour.
 * 3) Remove the ribs, and cut into your desired serving size.