Friday, September 19, 2008

That there is a clean rib bone!

O.k. Here's the goods:

Before you start!!!
Calculate when you want to eat the ribs and go back 6.5 hours. If you want to serve at 5 those ribs have got to be in the oven with the door shut at 10:30. This is probably the most important step.

#1: Buy the absolute best ribs you can find. According to my mentor, they have more meat and meat is what you're after.

#2: Take them home, unwrap and set out on a good cutting board. Grab a sharp knife and make a good cut along the bone side of the ribs, this ain't easy, you're cutting into bone! Your goal: making a cut into the thin elastic funky whatever that is on the bones, the white membrane sheet of stuff. You're going to spend a bit of time picking and stretching as much of that membrane off as possible without jumping in the car and buying the ribs pre cooked elsewhere.

#3: Flip the rack over and go at the tendons and any other tough white material that may be on the meat side. Pliers work well for this, as does a nice sharp knife. You can grab a tube of the tendon-y stuff and pull tightly as your knife follows it and you scrap it from the rack. Don't get crazy, but get rid of as much of that stuff as possible.

#4. Wash the rack(s) under a good stream of water and pat dry. Set on a paper towel to catch drips.

#5: Dry Rub. This is my version, you can alter it if'n ya wanna.

2 Tbl. Kosher or Gray Salt
2 Tbl. White Sugar
4 Tbl. Brown Sugar
2 Tbl. Ground Cumin
1 Tbl. Chili Powder (more or less depending on who likes heat and who will be eatin'...)
1 Tbl. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Ground Cayenne Pepper
3 Tbl. Sweet Paprika
1 Tbl. Garlic Powder (not garlic salt!)
1 tsp. Ground Onion Powder (or 2 tsp. dried onion flakes if you prefer)
1 tsp. Mustard Seed

Mix this all together.

I usually cut my rack into four or five rib per piece chunks, makes it easier for me, but hey, no rules here.

Take your dry rub and be generous as you coat the rack on all sides. Really get it into all the layers and creases on both the meat and bone sides. Set aside, I like to have them sit in this marinade for an hour or so, or...

If I am not having ribs soon, I will coat them with the rub and seal them in my vacuum sealer and put them in the freezer. This way when I pull the ribs out to thaw, they are marinating and I don't have too much to do the day of the cooking.

#6: Again remember to calculate when you want to eat the ribs and go back 6.5 hours. If you want to serve at 5 those ribs have got to be in the oven with the door shut at 10:30. Preheat your oven 20 minutes prior to placing the ribs in the oven at 250. Yes. 250. That's as high as you want them to bake. Tender meat = Low and Slow!

Knowing when you want the ribs served, grab a baking sheet. Cover the bottom with a piece of parchment across the sheet so the bottom is covered, and the parchment hangs over each side. (I get my parchment in bulk, full sheet cake sized, from Smart and Final - cheap!) Lay the rack(s) on the parchment, fold the remaining parchment over the top of the rack and cover the entire thing in foil, sealed. My baking rack is a half sheet pan, so I have to double fold my foil and then cover the sheet. I tuck the ends in over and curl them around the sheet sides to make a good tight seal. This will steam and bake the ribs and keep the moisture in the meat.

Put them in the oven and close the door. Don't even think about peeking until 4:30.

#7: At 4:00 grab 2 cups of barbecue sauce. I use K.C. Masterpiece Original. Add 2 cups of your favourite honey, I use orange blossom, whisk these two together until blended and set aside. That's 1/2 sauce to 1/2 honey.

#8: At 4:30 open the door and get the ribs out. Remove the foil and drain the juices. I think it's easier to just pick up the rack (mine are usually all in four to five bone servings) with tongs and roll them gently in the sauce; coating them well on all sides.

Your ribs will now be so tender they will fall from the bone so be careful how you pick them up and roll them in the sauce!

Place the rack back on the sheet and when all the racks are coated, back into the oven while I set the table and get the other food on. Or, if you want folks to think you have done these ribs on the grill out back, now is the time to do that. Fire up the barbecue and set the coated ribs there to caramelize until you serve. To me, this means one more thing to clean up later, but hey, it's your party.

By the time the table is set and folks begin to gather, your ribs will be caramelized and making everyone drool. Get them on a platter and sit down ready to hear the praise and compliments. I guarantee everyone will love them.

Fresh pineapple, cut into slices and dipped a bit in brown sugar, set under the broiler for a few minutes to caramelize is not only easy, but almost dessert!

I add a bit of fresh minced pineapple to a head of grated cabbage, a grated carrot or two and two green onions chopped through to the green and beyond, 1 tsp. of celery seed, 2 Tbl. white sugar, and a half cup of (I know -ick!) Miracle Whip. Fresh ground black pepper to taste. I blend all this, about an hour ahead, and chill in the fridge until serving.

Corn -bread or muffins, a hearty green salad, and a glass of milk will keep you from eating for two days afterwards. Enjoy!

add to sk*rt

10 comments:

Robyn said...

They sound delicious! Except I will stop at rolling them in BBQ sauce. Not a fan. Everyone else likes it but it is an add at the table ( or very lightly in the oven) option. We may have to try this!

The Pea said...

Oh yummy, I will try this one Maybe I will let ou know how i goes..... If it goes good!

Erin said...

thanks for posting this. i was worried you were gonna leave us hanging after making us crave ribs with yesterdays post!

The1stdaughter said...

Oooo...I am going to have to try this, but I think I may have to wait for cooler days seeing as how we have no AC in the house. I can't wait though!

S'mee said...

Robyn, We're about 30/70 in the house with the bbq sauce, so yea. Although I have to tell you that the sauce really is pretty good, I'm not a fan of too much. Thor likes his with a bite of the pineapple!

Pea, the hardest part is the price of those danged ribs! Find someone else and go in on a rack package and it will bring them down to about $12.00 or so, and you'll still have plenty for a young/small family. After that it's the de-membraning, the rest is a cake walk!

Erin, poof! Wishes come true! Let me know if you try them and how you like them!

O.k. #1, daughter of the great cook, try them and let me know what you do to tweak them! Oh and I baked these the other day when we still had low 100's, with the 250 oven, yes it gets hot, but it's not too bad.

The Hobbit said...

RIBS!!!I love ribs.However I can't find that many hours to do them justice. I'll hang on to the recipe 'cause you know I have ribs in the freezer and a good snow wtorm is just around the corner in these parts. I'm drooling here.

S'mee said...

Hobbit, with the temp being so low, I wonder if you could "bake" them in a crock pot? Then when you get home coat them and pop them in an oven while you take care of the side dishes. hmmm, now I think I may have to try this.

The Hobbit said...

Oh s'mee I think you just my have solved my problem.Yes there is a large slow cooker lurking in my pantry just waiting to be of service.Can't wait!!thanks again

S'mee said...

Hey, Hobbit, let me know how they turn out, I am very curious!

Jared said...

So we live exactly 85 miles from Buz and Ned's (www.buzandneds.com) in Richmond, VA. The Food Network featured them, and Buz whipped Bobby Flay in a Ribs Throwdown. They smoke their ribs for 24 hours out back before they bring them in, rub and sauce them, and carmelize them. They serve them with southern sweet potato fries and bourbon apples. The bread has been smoked as well, and it has a great firepit flavor to it. I don't know about "Dem Bones", but I do know that Buz and Ned's has my heart. :) THEY EVEN HAVE NEHI GRAPE SODA!!!!!!!!! Heaven.