Award Winning Rib Rub Ribs Recipes

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• For the basic BBQ rub: Using a coffee grinder, grind the turbinado sugar with a few "pulses" until it is lightly powdered. Combine with the granulated sugar, salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, cayenne, black pepper, mustard, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a bowl and hand stir until well incorporated. Store in an airtight container.
• For the BBQ mother sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low if the onion is cooking too fast--you don't want it caramelized or browned. As the onion is getting close, add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes longer. Add the ketchup, honey, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, dry mustard, cayenne and black pepper and stir well. Slowly add up to 1/2 cup water until the sauce reaches the consistency you like. A slightly thick consistency is best. Add about 3 tablespoons of the basic BBQ rub, stir well and taste. The sauce should have a good, well-rounded flavor. Add more of the basic BBQ rub in 1-tablespoon increments until your desired flavor is achieved, up to about 1/2 cup total. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
• For the ribs: Rinse the ribs and remove the membrane from the back. Trim any excess fat from the tops of the slabs. Trim 1 bone from the large end of the ribs and 2 bones from the small end. This will give you a much more consistent slab for cooking.
• Starting on the backs, sprinkle the slabs of ribs with approximately 1/2 tablespoon of the basic BBQ rub each, then add 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard each and massage into the meat. Flip the ribs over and repeat. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. For a contest, I marinate ribs like this for 12 to 16 hours.
• Prepare a smoker to run at 225 degrees F with around 4 chunks of apple wood and 4 chunks of cherry wood so that the wood will smolder throughout the cooking. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator, unwrap and repeat the basic BBQ rub and mustard procedure, massaging them in. Don't get it too thick or paste-like, as this will give you a dark appearance when cooked. Place the ribs in the smoker meat-side up and cook for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the smoker and increase the temperature to 250 degrees F. Apply the basic BBQ rub and mustard to both sides of the ribs as before. On the top sides, slather approximately 1 tablespoon of honey over the surface of each slab, then sprinkle heavily with the turbinado sugar. Lay each slab of ribs meat-side up on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold up the edges. Pour approximately 1 to 2 ounces of the grape juice into the bottom of each foil package, then finish wrapping the ribs but don't crimp the edges--you want steam to be able to escape.
• Return the ribs to the cooker for 2 hours, then test for tenderness. (I cook ribs in this stage until they look overdone and too tender. Don't worry, they'll tighten up. If they still have too much texture, leave them in for 20 to 30 more minutes.) Remove the ribs from the cooker, open the foil and drain off the liquid. Using the foil as a tool, "roll" the ribs over so the bone side is up, glaze with the BBQ mother sauce, then roll them back over and glaze the tops. Using long tongs, carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them back in the smoker for 15 minutes. This will let the glaze cook onto the ribs and let the ribs tighten back up. Remove from the cooker and allow to rest for 5 minutes, apply a very thin coat of sauce to "glisten" the ribs, then lightly sprinkle with chipotle powder before serving.

RIB RUB FOR FALL-OFF-THE-BONE RIBS

Steps:

• Combine white sugar, brown sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper in a container with a lid; shake until rub is evenly combined.
• Generously rub both sides of each rib rack with rub.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place 1 rack of ribs, meaty-side down, in the center of main grill rack; cook for 5 minutes; transfer to the far side of top grill rack, meaty-side up. Repeat process with remaining rib racks.
• Angle the rib racks on the top grill shelf so the meaty sides are facing out and they are stacked one in front of the other at an angle. Turn off heat directly below the ribs and turn other burner on low; close the grill lid and cook for 30 minutes.
• Flip ribs so the closest side to the flame is the furthest side and the meaty side is still facing forward and the rack that was in the front is now in the back. Continue to cook, flipping every 30 minutes, until outsides are crispy and meat is tender, about 5 hours. Slice into small chunks.

AWARD WINNING RIB RUB RIBS

Steps:

• 24 hours in advance of smoking: Place Vinegar in a new clean squirt bottle.
• Peel membrane off the inside of the ribs and trim off any large thick pieces of fat.
• Mix together all the dry ingredients well.
• Lightly spray mist the ribs with vinegar to moisten.
• Evenly and generously coat all surfaces of the meat with the rub, massaging the ribs. (as Emeril would say, it makes them happy).
• Cover the ribs and allow to marinate for about 24 hours.
• Gas Grill Cooking Directions:
• Soak Hickory wood chips in water overnight. Place in a large disposable aluminum pan. (allow some of the water in the pan but not so that they're swimming) Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Poke some holes in the foil.
• Place the pan under the grill racks directly on top of the shield above the gas burner. Set heat to lowest setting and replace grill racks.
• Smoke ribs at 200 degrees F. about 3-1/2 hours.
• DO NOT LET THE TEMPERATURE GO ABOVE 200D DEGREES. It's going to smoke like crazy, if you've never smoked before, don't panic. Turn the ribs once or twice during cooking, but open the lid as little as possible (except to crack open a bit to lower temp if needed).
• if you like, in the last few minutes of cooking you can slather on some of your favorite barbecue sauce.

PRIZE WINNING BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat a gas grill for high heat, or arrange charcoal briquettes on one side of the barbeque. Lightly oil the grate.
• In a small jar, combine cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Close the lid, and shake to mix.
• Trim the membrane sheath from the back of each rack. Run a small, sharp knife between the membrane and each rib, and snip off the membrane as much as possible. Sprinkle as much of the rub onto both sides of the ribs as desired. To prevent the ribs from becoming too dark and spicy, do not thoroughly rub the spices into the ribs. Store the unused portion of the spice mix for future use.
• Place aluminum foil on lower rack to capture drippings and prevent flare-ups. Lay the ribs on the top rack of the grill (away from the coals, if you're using briquettes). Reduce gas heat to low, close lid, and leave undisturbed for 1 hour. Do not lift the lid at all.
• Brush ribs with barbecue sauce, and grill an additional 5 minutes. Serve ribs as whole rack, or cut between each rib bone and pile individually on a platter.

MEMPHIS HOGAHOLICS AWARD-WINNING RIBS

Steps:

• Dryrub: Mix together.
• Basting Sauce: Combine first four ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Cook very slowly for 1 hour. Add sugar, butter, and root beer to mixture and slow boil for 30 minutes. Recommended for pork and game.
• Wet Sauce: Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 1 hour. Let sauce stand for 2 hours before serving on the side with barbecue.
• Rub Dry Rub into both sides of skinned ribs. Place meat on grill away from coals, bone side down. Cook ribs 1-1/2 to 2 hours, never turning, before using basting sauce. Cook slowly for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours, basting every 45 minutes to hour. Serve with Wet sauce on the side, or (not recommended by purists) baste with Wet sauce the last 1/2 hour.
• NOTES: I have never cooked them for the 4 hours it calls for. I usually use the indirect grilling method on my gas grill and keep them on fairly low heat for an hour and a half.