Kc-style baby back ribs

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
4 Slabs Skinned Baby Back Ribs; (about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. EACH)
1 cup Granulated Sugar
¼ cup Seasoned Salt; (Lawry's is recommended)
¼ cup Garlic Salt
¼ cup Celery Salt
¼ cup Onion Salt
½ cup Paprika
3 tablespoons Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper
2 tablespoons Dried Sage
1 teaspoon Dried Mustard Powder
½ teaspoon Dried Thyme

Directions

Hello, Barbecue Enthusiasts!

We could not offer you our collection of recipes honoring National Barbecue Month without providing you with the classic of all barbecued ribs. Break out the paper towels and rib bibs –– we're making Kansas City-Style Baby Back Ribs tonight!

Otherwise known as loin ribs, baby back pork ribs are more expensive than other styles of pork or beef ribs. However, the price is well worth the money; and don't hesitate to work with the butcher at your local market to get the perfect size or shape of ribs to fit your grill.

Prepare the dry rub by sifting together the sugar, seasoned salt, garlic, celery, and onion salts, paprika, chili powder, black, cayenne, and lemon peppers, sage, mustard, and thyme in a large glass mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container, preferably a glass jar, and utilize as a dry rub for today's recipe and other barbecued meals, too.

Kitchen Staff Tip: Remember, the "dry rub" mixture is not actually rubbed into the meat. You simply sprinkle it on the cut of meat you'll be preparing on the grill or in your smoker.

Prepare your grill to maintain a temperature of 230 F to 250 F degrees while cooking the ribs. You may elect to utilize oak, hickory, or apple-flavored wood chips. If you do, remember to soak the bag of wood chips in a bucket of water next to your grill and add them as you grill the baby back ribs. This water-soaked method helps release the full essence of the smoky flavor from the wood chips in the steam and smoke created on your grill.

Blot ribs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then sprinkle both sides of the ribs with the dry rub. Arrange slabs on the grill and prepare to cook the ribs for 4 to 6 hours, adding more coals as necessary to maintain the heat.

Halfway through cooking, turn the ribs. The ribs are done when you can gently pull them apart with safely gloved hands. Transfer ribs to the cutting board and allow them to cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Serve with your favorite warmed barbecue sauce on the side, or return the cut ribs to the grill and bathe them in your favorite barbecue sauce as you grill for about 10 minutes more, being sure to turn them once, then serve.

Kitchen Staff Tips: You can reduce your grilling time by precooking or parboiling the baby back ribs. Either parboil them in a large stock pot until they are gray, or bake in a moderate 350-F degree oven until lightly browned. Apply dry rub as directed. You may also want to mix up and keep ready keep a light basting liquid of 1 cup water, ½ cup olive oil, and 3 tablespoons dry rub, just in case the ribs start drying out on the grill.

Total cooking time will be about 1 or 2 hours, depending on the thickness of the ribs.

Spareribs are a little less pricey and may also be used with today's recipe. Because they come from the underbelly of the pig, situated right next to the bacon, they don't contain as much meat as baby back ribs.

Spareribs are also full of fat and small gristle bones, which end up making the meat juicier on the grill. You may substitute 2 slabs of skinned spareribs for each 3 to 4-lb. portion of baby back ribs, and prepare today's recipe as directed. Grilling time varies if you elect not to parboil or precook the spareribs. Total grilling time runs about 6 to 8 hours.

Posted to dailyrecipe@... by Recipe-a-Day <recipe-a-day@...> on May 22, 1998

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