I Love Ribs
I love ribs. Let’s skip over the background about how during self-isolation we all have more time to cook/bake/create and get right to the “meat” of this post! This is by no means the definitive written word on ribs. If there were a Library of Congress on slow cooking meats, this entry would likely not make the cut. I don’t have a ton of outdoor space so I can’t really justify a full-fledged smoker. I’m going to tell you my method for making pretty tasty ribs in an oven and a small Weber grill. So lets call this recipe “Ribs For The Smoker Deficient” and anybody from Texas will probably click away right now.
I went with a rack of St. Louis pork ribs mostly because that is what the store had. I start by making a dry rub to apply to the rack. Nothing too special here, so I’d recommend using whatever you have around the house or even a pre-mixed rub.
For mine I went with an equal-ish parts combo of the following:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Dark Chili Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Cayenne
- Brown Sugar
- Mustard Powder
Whenever I do this it tends to change based on my whims and what I have in the cupboard. I mix that up and rub down the rack generously. Then in a bowl I mix up some water, apple cider vinegar and if I have any of the dry rub left throw it in there as well. Place the ribs in a roasting pan with a rack to keep the meat off the bottom of the pan. Pour the vinegar mixture in to get coverage on the pan but not so high that it is touching the ribs. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 275 degrees. I did this for just over 3 hours but I’m sure if you have the patience for longer, you won’t be disappointed!
About an hour before I was ready to take the ribs out of the oven, I got my Weber grill going. Nothing fancy, just your standard Weber charcoal grill. I started the charcoal in a small pile to one side of the barrel to get some heat going.
Side note #1: At this point I’m outside and I’ve thus cracked a beer. On this occasion I’m drinking a Sip of Sunshine made by Lawson’s Finest Liquids. Drink Vermont Beer!
Using the air vents, I’m trying to get the heat to stay around 300 degrees in the grill. It takes a bit of playing with to get a steady temp which might take some time. Finicking with a grill and drinking beer is part of the reason to endeavor this operation anyway! Once I have the temp correct, I throw a few hickory chips on the flame to get some smoky flavors going. Then I take the ribs from the oven and put them on the grill, on the off-heat side. Try to save the liquid at the bottom of the roasting pan and brush the ribs on the grill with that mixture from time to time.
I cooked these ribs off heat, mopping occasionally, in the Weber for another 2 and ½ hours. I feel like that is enough time to take in the smoke from the hickory chips. That’s it. Cut them up using a cleaver or heavy knife and serve. I ate this batch with a simple potato salad and some dressed greens.
Side note #2: The cleaver I have is great and I want to give a shout out to the Wok Shop in San Fran where I ordered it from. This place is awesome and might be worth another post altogether!
And while we are at it, here are a couple of my favorite ribs in the Boston area. In case you don’t have a full day to make these or you just want the professionals to take over!
Smoke Shop – I like the one in Kendall Square but there are a few other locations. They do it right! Lots of great BBQ options including half and full racks. Plus, the bar area awesome, opening out into a courtyard. Worth a stop for sure.
Redbones – A standby in Somerville’s Davis Square, this place is still cranking out awesome BBQ and boasts one of the area’s best beer lists. They offer baby back, St. Louis, Memphis, and even Texas style beef ribs. They have a few bar style seats towards the back of the dining room that look right into the kitchen – my personal favorite spot.
Enjoy!
