Memphis Style Pork Ribs Recipes

MEMPHIS PORK RIBS (STEVEN RAICHLEN)

Steps:

• Set up your grill for indirect heating at 350 degrees F; place a drip pan in the middle of your coals.
• Remove the silver skin from the ribs with your hands.
• Combine all the rub ingredients and rub 2/3 of it on both sides of ribs.
• Place ribs on the grill and close the cover.
• Combine all the ingredients for the mopping sauce.
• After 30 minutes of cooking, mop the ribs with the sauce; repeat mopping every 20 minutes thereafter.
• Continue to cook the ribs until they are tender and the meat has shrunk a bit from the bones, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove ribs from the grill, once they are done, and place on a cutting board; mop ribs one last time and sprinkle with remaining dry rub.
• Cut into serving size pieces as desired.

MEMPHIS-STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• Your ribs may already be trimmed, or you can ask the butcher to trim them. To do it yourself, place the ribs meat-side up on a cutting board. There is a line of fat at the base of the ribs; cut along it to remove the cartilaginous rib tips. Turn the meat over, rib-side up. Cut off the flap of meat on the inside of the ribs. (The reason to remove these pieces is that they will burn, well before the ribs are done. You can season them and grill them over direct heat for about 15 minutes, turning once. They are delicious.) With the rib-side up, finesse a sharp knife under the tough membrane that covers the bones. Working from one rib to the next, pull the membrane off the rib. (For a better grip, grab the membrane with a paper towel.) The membrane may tear and you may have to start over, but be patient - removing the membrane allows the spices and smoke to penetrate the ribs, and makes the ribs much more attractive and easy to eat.
• In a shallow, non-reactive pan large enough to hold the ribs, mix together 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 cup cider, garlic, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons hot sauce and the salt. Put the ribs in this marinade, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 16 hours, turning once during this time.
• Remove the ribs from the pan 2 hours before you are going to grill and pat dry. Discard the marinade. Sprinkle the ribs all over with 1/2 cup of the rub, patting it on with your fingers. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour before grilling.
• Mix the remaining 3/4 cup cider vinegar, 3/4 cup cider, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. You will apply this mixture to the ribs once every hour or so with a spray bottle, a barbecue mop, a pastry brush or a long-handled spoon.
• Soak about 3 cups of wood chips (hickory, oak or apple) for at least 1/2 hour in cold water.
• Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill for indirect grilling over low heat. Drain and add 1 cup of the wood chips.
• Grill the ribs, covered, until they are crispy, and the meat has pulled back from the bone, 3 to 4 hours, depending on the heat of your grill. Spray or baste the ribs with the vinegar-cider mixture every hour, and turn them once during grilling. Don't forget to add more wood chips--and, if using charcoal, more coals--as needed (check every hour or so). You should have enough soaked wood chips for about 3 hours of cooking time; if your ribs take longer, you will need to soak more chips.
• If the ribs are done before you are ready to eat, wrap them in heavy-duty aluminum foil and leave them over very low, indirect heat for up to 1 hour.
• Remove the ribs from the grill, spray or baste with any remaining basting liquid, and sprinkle with the remaining the 1/4 cup of rub. Serve as is, or with Vinegar Sauce.
• Mix together all of the ingredients in an airtight container and store at room temperature. The rub will keep for several months.
• Yield: about 1 cup, enough for 8 pounds of Memphis-Style Ribs.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Use immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

MEMPHIS STYLE PORK RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Mix rub ingredients together well.
• Lay the ribs on a rack in a foil-lined pan, and rub all of the spice mix evenly onto both sides of both rib racks.
• Bake meat-side up for 2 hours, or until each rack droops on both sides when picked up with tongs in the middle.
• Serve with favorite BBQ sauce, or dry. (I enjoy them both ways).
• HINT: Can bake ahead, especially if making for a crowd. To reheat, bake (meat side up) partially covered with foil for 30 minutes at 250 degrees F.

MEMPHIS-STYLE HICKORY-SMOKED BEEF AND PORK RIBS

Steps:

• For the rub:
• Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir until combined. Keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
• For the ribs:
• Rinse and dry ribs. Place on a clean cutting board and pull off the membrane, the thin fatty skin that lines the underside of the ribs. Trim the ribs of excess fat and meat. Liberally season both sides of the ribs with 1/4 to 1/2 cup Neely's BBQ Rub. Wrap ribs and refrigerate for at least 8 hours so flavors can permeate.
• Preheat grill to 250 degrees F using hickory and charcoal.
• Use indirect heat and cook with the cover down.
• Place ribs, meatier side down, on the grill away from the coals. Cook beef 2 hours, adding more coals as needed. Turn and cook for 45 minutes more, or until the ribs "bend" and the meat easily separates from the bone using a fork. Cook the pork ribs 3 hours. Turn and cook another hour, or until ribs bend. Remove from grill.
• For dry ribs: Sprinkle extra Neely's BBQ seasoning over ribs, cut bones and serve.
• For wet ribs: Coat ribs with Neely's BBQ Sauce, cut and serve.
• In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cooked uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

MEMPHIS-STYLE BARBECUED PORK RIBS

Steps:

• Rinse the rib slabs in cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the slabs on a clean chopping board. Using your fingers, pull off the thick white membrane. Use a small knife to trim off the excess fat and meat. Using a sharp knife, trim off the brisket bone. Season both sides of the slab with salt and Neely's Barbecue Seasoning, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to a day in advance.
• When you're ready to cook the ribs, preheat the grill to 250°F, preferably using a combination of hickory wood and charcoal. Place the slab on the grill away from (not directly over) the flame (using indirect heat). Cook the slab curl-side up for approximately 2 1/2 hours. Flip the slab over to finish the cooking, about 1 more hour, or until you get the full "bend" in the slab (see Tony's Tip).
• For dry ribs, pull the ribs off the grill, and sprinkle more Neely's Barbecue Seasoning over the entire slab. Cut between the bones and serve. For wet ribs, pull the ribs off the grill, and pour Neely's Barbecue Sauce over the slab. Slice between the bones into individual portions, and serve.

MEMPHIS-STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the ribs and rub: Remove the thin, papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs by pulling it off in a sheet with your fingers, using the corner of a kitchen towel to gain a secure grip, or with pliers.
• 2. Combine the paprika, black pepper, brown sugar, salt, celery salt, cayenne, garlic powder, dry mustard, and cumin in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Rub two thirds of this mixture over the ribs on both sides, then transfer the ribs to a roasting pan. Cover and let cure, in the refrigerator, for 4 to 8 hours.
• 3. Prepare the mop sauce (if using): Mix together the cider vinegar, mustard, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• 4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a large drip pan in the center.
• If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium.
• If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium.
• 5. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the ribs on the hot grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and smoke cook the ribs for 1 hour.
• 6. When the ribs have cooked for an hour, uncover the grill and brush the ribs with the mop sauce (if using). Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs until tender and almost done, 1/4 to 1/2 hour longer for baby back ribs, 1/2 to 1 hour longer for spareribs. The ribs are done when the meat is very tender and has shrunk back from the ends of the bones. If using a charcoal grill, you'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side after 1 hour. Fifteen minutes before the ribs are done, season them with the remaining rub, sprinkling it on.
• 7. To serve, cut the racks in half or, for a plate-burying effect, just leave them whole.

SLOW-COOKER MEMPHIS-STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• Combine vinegar and water; brush over ribs. Pour remaining vinegar mixture into a 6-qt. slow cooker. Mix together remaining ingredients, reserving half. Sprinkle ribs with half the seasoning blend; reserve the other half. Cut the ribs into serving-sized pieces; transfer to slow cooker. , Cook, covered, on low until tender, 5-6 hours. Remove ribs; skim fat from cooking juices. Using a clean brush, brush ribs generously with skimmed cooking juices; sprinkle with reserved seasoning mixture. Serve ribs with remaining juices.

QUICK & EASY MEMPHIS-STYLE BBQ RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients; rub 3/4 cup over ribs. Wrap rib racks in large pieces of heavy-duty foil; seal tightly. Place in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 1-1/2 hours. Reduce oven setting to 250°. Bake until tender, 1-1/2 hours longer., Carefully remove ribs from foil; return to baking pan. Sprinkle ribs with remaining spice mixture. Bake 30 minutes longer or until lightly browned, brushing with barbecue sauce, if desired.