BBQ Back Ribs

Back ribs, aka “Baby Back Ribs”, are the 13 collected bones that run close to the loin of the hog. These are the rib bones in a “bone-in rib chop”, and because of their location on a hog’s body they are super tender and meaty. Highly versatile, these ribs can be quickly roasted, or slow cooked, like in the recipe here. Slow cooking the back ribs at a low temperature yields super tender meat which stays juicy because of the marbling around that area of the carcass. This week is as good a time as any to get BBQin’!

BBQ Back Ribs

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients:

2                            racks of back ribs (about 1.5 lbs each)
1 bottle                Smokey Pork Rib Rub
1 cup                    cider vinegar
1 bottle               Dad’s BBQ Sauce (or BBQ sauce of your choice)

Method:

1. To remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs, slide a paring knife under the membrane at the cut edge of one of the middle bones. Lift up a few inches of the membrane, then grasp it with a paper towel and pull the rest of the membrane away from the bones. Discard the membrane.

2. Place the ribs on a tray and cover them with the spice rub, using your hands to massage the spice into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

3. Preheat your charcoal grill: heat up the charcoal in a chimney or on your grate with a firestarter. Let the charcoal flame out and get cherry red with white areas.

4. Move the hot coals to one side of your grill. Place the ribs on the “cooler” side of the grill. Close the lid and crack the vent to control to heat and smoke. Ideally the interior of the grill is about 250°F.

5. Cook the ribs for two hours, flipping intermittently and brushing with cider vinegar. Add additional charcoal if the original batch looks like it won’t last the full time. After two hours, brush the ribs all over with the BBQ sauce and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce is glazed onto the ribs. Take the ribs off the grill and rest for 10 minutes.

6. To serve, cut between each rib and arrange on a platter plates. Serve immediately.