Ridiculously Easy Dry Rub for Meaty Ribs

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Chief Longwind Of The North

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First, I never by baby-back ribs. They are to wimpy, with not enough meat on them. That being said, I give you one of the simplest, yet yummy dry rubs ever. I have never used this recipe with barbecued ribs where someone hasn't told me they were the best ribs they'd ever eaten. And I'm not saying this to toot my own horn. Try it on your next batch of ribs and see.

Dry Rub for Pork:
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbs. granulated garlic
1 tbs. granulated onion
2 tbs chili powder

Mix these ingredients together and sprinkle liberally over both sides of the ribs. Place coated ribs into a large zipper back.

Yesterday, I cooked this recipe of ribs on the Webber Kettle, with charcoal on one side, and the ribs on the other, all vents closed to the half open position. Before putting the ribs on the grill, I put a thick stick of maple on the hot charcoal. I then put the ribs on the side without the charcoal, covered, and cooked for 1 hour. I basted the ribs with a mop consisting of 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbs. brown sugar, and a half-cup of water.
Repeat three times, so that the ribs are basted four times and cook for about four hours.

Our guests again stated that the coating on the ribs was the best they'd ever eaten. They kept asking what the secret ingredients were and said that the rub couldn't be as simple as I'd explained it to them.

My alternate method for making ribs is to use the same rub, place the ribs in the slow cooker, set to medium heat, and cook over-night. An hour before mealtime, I fire up the grill, with good apple or maple/birch on the charcoal for smoke, and place the ribs in the center, with two beds of charcoal, one on each side, but none under the meat. Smoke the ribs for about 30 minutes.

The first method gives you ribs that are very tender, but stick to the bone. The second method gives you ribs that are fall-off-the-bone tender.

I've even won over some fold from North Carolina, who take their ribs very seriously.

the first cooking technique is one that I learned from looking at rib cooking techniques here on DC. The second, is my own method for making very tender ribs, without having to tend a fire for hours.

If my DW could handle the flavor and mild heat, I'd add black pepper to the rub, or maybe even give them a touch of Sriracha, or Tabasco original before coating with the rub.

Hope your summer grilling/barbecue season is wonderful.

By the way, we have a raging fire burning through a good part of the Easter Upper Peninsula. It's about 100 miles from where I live, but is only 7 miles North of one rural town, and about 6 miles West of Tahquamenon Falls, and the town of Paradise. This area of the UP is one of the most gorgeous places in the continental U.S. It's the second largest waterfall East of the Mississippi River, after Niagra Falls. If any of you pray, we could sure use some rain.

On the plus side, morels grow like crazy after a fire. I know where I'll be picking next spring.

Now it's your turn. Give us your favorite dry rub or marinade for meaty pork ribs. It can be sweet, savory, full of Mexican flavors, or Itallian, or French, Asian, African, Jerked, whatever you like.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
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Weed as luck would have it oh mighty one I was de-boning 4 feet of belly pork yesterday. These meaty beauts will succumb to your rub and mop this week end.
img_1143387_0_46e38cb53ed2fb1b4eb6301eb4d8b152.jpg

Hopefully it will take the bad taste of Jubilee madness out of my retching craw:)
 
I'm going to try your rub recipe. I like simple.
I kept it very simple yesterday as I had other things on my mind, so I prepared the two racks of B-back ribs with just S&P and stuck them in the smoker for about 4 hours. After they passed the bend and toothpick tests I basted them with watered down Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and left them in the smoker for another half hour or so. They came out very good. :)
 
oh chief, my chief. you must try your hand at making your own chili powder. the difference between buying a jar of pre-made powder or grinding dried chilis, cumin, coriander, and so on yourself is the same difference as cooking a fish from the market, or catching a fish and cooking it yourself.

otherwise, your rub sounds great. it'basic and hits all bases. thanks.
 
oh chief, my chief. you must try your hand at making your own chili powder. the difference between buying a jar of pre-made powder or grinding dried chilis, cumin, coriander, and so on yourself is the same difference as cooking a fish from the market, or catching a fish and cooking it yourself.

otherwise, your rub sounds great. it'basic and hits all bases. thanks.

BT; I have dried chilis, cumin, coriander, paprika, fresh/frozen cayenne peppers, and black peppercorns. What are the ratios for your chili powder recipe. I'll start with that. I know you to be a pretty great home chef and trust what you say implicitly (No, I don't want to buy a bridge. Now stop thinking those thoughts.):LOL:.

Of course, you know, that once I have an idea, I'll have to change it up a bit, you know, to make it mine.;)

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
BT; I have dried chilis, cumin, coriander, paprika, fresh/frozen cayenne peppers, and black peppercorns. What are the ratios for your chili powder recipe. I'll start with that. I know you to be a pretty great home chef and trust what you say implicitly (No, I don't want to buy a bridge. Now stop thinking those thoughts.):LOL:.

Of course, you know, that once I have an idea, I'll have to change it up a bit, you know, to make it mine.;)

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


It might be even better if we can get him to measure everything, stick it in a bottle and store it in a warehouse (they have those in Joisy?) for a couple years so we can try it. :mrgreen:
 
lol, frank. of course we have warehouses. we keep old wiseguys in 50 gallons drums in them... :cool:

chief, i'll have to look over some notes and old posts to see if i can come up with a reasonable answer. i've always made it by grinding, tasting, and modifying, and tasting again.
 
lol, frank. of course we have warehouses. we keep old wiseguys in 50 gallons drums in them... :cool:

chief, i'll have to look over some notes and old posts to see if i can come up with a reasonable answer. i've always made it by grinding, tasting, and modifying, and tasting again.

You too? When putting recipes in my cookbooks, or on my blog, I have to keep track of the measurements of the add a little, taste it, and correct the seasoning, method, so as to be able to give accurate measurements. That way, the reader can get the flavors I'm trying to teach them how to make. Of course, then they are expected to change my recipes and make them their own.

Do you think Escoffeir had to do such things? It can become such a chore.:rolleyes: But alas, how you gonna teach your boy to make World Famous Pancakes if you don't give him the proper measurements?:punk::clap:

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
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