COMING IN HOT…HOW ABOUT SOME BBQ?
Summer is coming! With that we get to celebrate some of my favorite holidays. Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day are all great opportunities to gather with friends and family. The menu invariably revolves around some kind of BBQ item. For this month’s issue, I thought I would share my BBQ Rib recipe. We always started with Pork Baby Back Ribs. They prove to be a bit leaner and meatier. This is just my preference. St. Louis Style and Beef Baby Backs are also tasty. Whatever style you choose, the key here is flavor layering.
Step 1: On the underside of the rack you will find a thin membrane that needs to be removed. Using a butter knife, you can start in the corner of the ribs and peel that thing off.
Step 2: We are going to braise the rack. In a roasting pan, place the rack rounded side up and cover them with water. Some like to add beer here, one beer mixed with the water is good. I also add a few ounces of Cider Vinegar, chopped white onion, a bay leaf and whole black peppercorns. Cover the roasting pan with plastic wrap, then foil (this needs to be a tight cover to create some steam) and braise in a 275-degree oven for 2.5 hours.
Note: I like to check the ribs after 2 hours. We want the meat to still stick to the bone but be almost tender enough to break away. We will cook them some more before they are served.
When we reach the point we are looking for, remove the ribs from the roasting pan and place them on a cookie sheet. Liberally apply the dry rub.
BBQ RUB RECIPE
1 Cup Brown Sugar
.5 Cups Sugar
.5 Cups Paprika
2 oz Chili Pepper
1 oz Black Pepper
.5 oz Cayanne Pepper
.5 oz Dry Thyme
.5 oz Onion Powder
Step 1: Mix all these in a bowl. Taste and adjust to your liking.
Step 2: To finish this step: your ribs are now braised. Cooked to about 90%. Both sides of the ribs are rubbed with a good coating of the rub. Now. Wrap them up and reserve overnight.
Step 3: It’s almost dinner time. We need to finish off the ribs. You have some options. You can wrap the racks in foil with a nice slathering of your favorite BBQ sauce. Wrapped loosely, place them back in the 275-degree oven for another 40 minutes or so and serve. Another option is to fire up the grill, place the racks on it, and slather them while they cook. This is my favorite option. Last, you could add a layer of smoke and slather, finishing the ribs in a smoker.
Final Note: This rib preparation was a hit at John Palmer’s Bistro 40. We always ran a third of rack as a summer appetizer special. We also served these for our annual Fund Raiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. They are fun to make and fun to eat, particularly with a cold beverage and a yard full of family and friends. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Compliments of Chef John and Michelle De Joy, Owners of John Palmer’s Bistro 44, in Concord, Ohio, and currently Saraceno residents.
