Oh, yeah, it's rib night!
I recently received a wonderful gift from my wife's employer: a cylindrical smoker. The best I've been able to do thus far with it is pork baby back ribs. I won't start any sort of flame war by claiming my technique is authentically this or that. My cooking is eclectic, and I use what I find most flavorful.
My technique is to dry rub, slow smoke while moistening with a vinegar spray, then baste with a tangy, vinegar and ketchup sauce. If you're salivating already, check out my recipe below.
This recipe is becoming legendary with my friends and family. In fact, my step-son's friend hurried over when he heard I was smoking ribs. If the teenagers are texting about it, it must be good!
Here's the recipe to copy and paste for your file, but I'll elaborate a little starting farther down. This is a long process, but the individual elements are simple and can be prepared ahead of time.
1 rack pork baby back ribs
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 cup apple cidar vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cidar vinegar
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorn
1 teaspoon crushed coriander seed
Prepare the ribs by removing the fibrous 'silverskin' from the backside of the rack of ribs. It is easiest to do this with a paper towel between the fingers, pulling the skin away from the bone. Trim excess fat if desired (I don't recommend this).
Toast the black peppercorns, coriander seed, mustard seed, and cumin seed in a dry pan for a few minutes. Transfer the toasted seeds to a pestle and mortar (or spice grinder for the lazy) and grind to a coarse powder.
Apply the salt, onion and garlic powders, and paprika to the meaty side of the ribs. Use the ground spices on both sides and rub into the flesh and fat of the meat as much as possible.
Combine equal portions of apple cidar vinegar and extra virgin olive oil in a spary bottle. Shake vigorously to combine. This is the barbeque spray.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. This is the barbeque sauce.
Cook the ribs in a smoker or oven on low heat. After the first hour, begin applying the spray every 30-45 minutes to keep the outer 'bark' moist. When the meat begins to retract from the bones, exposing them, apply thin layers of the sauce every 15-20 minutes. When the meat is fork tender and separates from the bone easily (but not fall off the bone), remove the ribs and let rest for about 30 minutes.
To serve, cut between every other rib, starting from the less meaty end. This will provide 7 portions of nearly equal weight. Therefore, this recipe serves 3-4 people with two portions each.
So let's go through this one element at a time.
First off, clean the ribs. On the bonier side of the rack, there is a fibrous 'silverskin' that needs to be removed. The easiest way I've found to do this is by cutting a small slit into it with a knife, then use a paper towel to grip it between your fingers and pull it off gently. If it is a fresh rack, it should come off mostly in one piece. You can then remove extra fat if you like, but by doing so, you are eliminating some flavor and moisture.
Second, make the dry rub. I like to toast the ingredients for the rub that need to be ground: black peppercorn, mustard seed, coriander seed, and cumin seed. I simply throw those all into a dry skillet on medium heat. When you smell the mixture emanating, it should be toasted enough. Grind all that up in a spice grinder or mortal and pestle and combine with the powdered ingredients. I like to salt the meat first, then apply the rub. When I say rub, I mean rub: press the spices into the meat so they stick well.
Third, while your ribs are smoking, a dry crust will form where the salt pulls moisture from the meat. Therefore, I use a spray bottle with equal amounts of apple cidar vinegar and olive oil. Every half hour or so, quickly spray the meat until it is glisteningly moist. This will add flavor, but more importantly, it will keep the crust moist enough that the inner juices remain trapped within.
Finally, when the ribs are nearly ready to come off, start basting the rack with your barbeque sauce of choice. After trying to make my own, I have never used the bottled stuff again; mine's better! The main elements of BBQ sauce are ketchup and brown sugar. Season it with some garlic and onion powder if you want. I, also, like the smokiness of molasses in my sauce. Whatever you use, apply a thin coating, then come back and put more on once you take the ribs out to rest. Leave a little bit to add when you serve if desired.
Serve with some baked beans, corn on the cob, or whatever else makes a great BBQ for you. Enjoy!