How to Make The Most Delicious Ribs In The World

Last weekend SID and Six Deuce were here at The Platz for some turkey hunting and I finally had an excuse to cook-up a couple of racks of baby back ribs that had been languishing in the freezer of the adult beverage fridge in the garage.  Follow these few easy preparation steps and you too can make the most delicious ribs in the world.

Thaw overnight and remove the membrane from the inside of the rib rack.  Rub generously with Galena Street spice rub.  Let set in the garage fridge uncovered until ready to cook. 

Set aside six heaping handfuls of apple wood chips in a bowl and cover with hot water.  Use whatever wood you prefer - but I like the sweetness apple imparts to pork.

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Light a small fire of about a dozen and a half Kingsford Charcoal Briquettes on one side of your Weber kettle grill.  Drain the wood chips.  After the coals are covered in ash top them with half of the soaked apple wood chips.  

Put the grate on and place the ribs on the opposite half of the grill.  Put the lid on making sure all lower vents are wide-open and leaving the top vent half-open.  After thirty minutes add the remaining half of the soaked apple wood chips to the coals, rotate the ribs and replace the lid.  The first hour is critical for the infusion of the smoke in your ribs.

This is a low and slow process.  Go read a book, do some chores or hang out.  All you have to do is check your ribs every hour, rotate the ribs and periodically add a half dozen or so briquettes to the fire as they burn down.   

After four and a half hours top your ribs with whatever flavor and variety of BBQ sauce you like.  This step is totally optional as your ribs will be plenty flavorful from the rub and the smoke.  Return the lid and cook for an additional thirty minutes - for a total of five hours.

Remove the ribs from the grill and allow to rest for ten minutes or so before serving.  If you want to finish a refreshing adult beverage or two put them in a 200 degree oven (uncovered) for up to another thirty minutes.

 

Serve with whatever sides you like.  I'm partial to potato salad, slaw and some sour dough garlic toast.  Home-baked beans are a terrific idea too. 

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These ribs will be juicy moist - not fall-off-the-bone doneness - with just the right amount of chew and kissed with spicy-smokey goodness.  The secret is fresh spices in your rub of choice, low and slow heat (never rush or hurry your ribs) and the introduction of smoke in the first hour. 

Smoke 'em if you got 'em.