My Rib Recipe:
this method is for the OVEN!
It can be modified to be used in your BBQ apparatus, but each grill or smoker is different, so specific methods must be applied to each unit.
this method has 5 phases;
brown 20 minutes
braise 60-90 minutes
rest 10 minutes
roast 10 minutes
glaze. 10 minutes
we brown the ribs FIRST,
so that when they are braised to be tenderized, they dont taste like boiled meat !
pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees, you want a HOT oven to get a quick browning without actually fully cooking the ribs.
for best results, brown the ribs on top of a bed of chopped / diced vegetables, carrot shavings, onions and celery
(this is a claSSIC MIXTURE THAT CHEFS AROUND THE WORLD CALL A MIREPOIX)
MAKE A NICE BED OF THESE VEGGIES ON TOP OF A SHEET PAN OR ROASTING PAN, MIX THEM WITH OIL, A NICE EVEN COAT, AND ALLOW THEM TO ROAST FIRST, ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE YOU START THE RIBS.
WHILE THE VEGGIES ROAST, PREPARE YOUR RIBS.
ALWAYS WASH AND DRY ALLL YOUR PROTEINS BEFORE YOU COOK THEM
once your ribs are rinsed and DRIED, rub with a light oil (nothing heavy like extra virgin olive oil) and season to taste, I use garlic POWDER (not salt) fresh ground pepper medly, and ground cummin.
set the ribs on top of the roasted veggies and brown for 10-15 minutes,EACH SIDE, meaty side up FIRST.
once a nice tan has been acheived, you can begin phase two, braising !
BRAISING is a method used to make tough meats more tender, and as with the brisket it can slowly impart flavor from the liquid into the meat.
I reccomend marinades for brisket, NOT for pork ribs !
you will neeed a pot or roasting pan that will allow you to almost completely submerse your ribs in liquid.
if you are cooking alot of ribs, you may need to do it in stages if you dont have a pot big enough.
(A RECYCLABLE, aluminum Pan can help if a large pot is not available.)
place your browned ribs, AND the veggies in a pot and cover with LIQUID, this can be anything aS SIMPLE AS WATER, OR A MIXTURE OF WATER AND STOCK, EVEN BEER, But I dont try to mask or overpower the natural flavor of my ribs with marinades, or too strong a braising liquid.
(I always have a nice stock on hand, so you know I make good use of that and the ribs will just intensify what I already got going.)
SMALL addition of an acid, like O.J. triple sec, tequilla or vermouth, the acid will help to break down the fibers of the meat, especialy the attaching membranes.An ounce for every 3 pounds of meat.
Bring all the ingredients to a short boil if cooking on the range top for braising, then reduce the heat to simmer.
if your pot will fit inside the oven, reduce the oven temp to 275-300 degrees and do the braising inside the oven, for great results.
( a simmer is like a tiny boil with small bubbles just breaking the surface of the liquid)
do NOT boil the ribs for an extended period of time, because it will do the opposite of our intentions, toughen the meat, not tenderize.
the braising should take about an hour for baby backs, longer for bigger batches, and especially if your ribs are LARGE like full slab st louis ribs or spare ribs.
a good indicator of doneness is exposed BONE on the ends and a wrinkled look to the edges of the meat.
TEST the doneness by twisting and pulling on the exposed end, to see if the bone IS LOOSE ENOUGH TO BULL AWAY from the meat with just an easy twist, if so then your ribs are fully cooked.
remove the ribs from the liquid, if making a large batch, those in the middle may not be as done as the others so allow them to braise longer.
if you can readily see the difference, you may need to add an additional half hour to those undercooked ones.
GIVE IT A REST !
this small step is very important because if you try to roast the ribs while still wet, they will toughen up and nullify all that you tried to accomplish in the braising phase.
(if you plan to remove the back membrane, this is a good TIME to do it, after drying)
NOTE: I highly reccomend keeping the back membrane ATTACHED until after the braising process, othrwise you might incounter an undisered separation of meat and bone; the membrane holds it all together during this emersed liquid phase.seperates easily. USE THE EDGE OF A SPOON AND / OR A PAPER TOWEL TO PULL AWAY THE MEMBRANE FROM THE RACK.
we are now ready for our next phase, THE ROAST
re-season your ribs, if you have a favorite rub, use it, here is where your own individual tastes can be applied, spicey, cayenne, garlic, rub fresh or POWDER, sweet, molasses, honey or even maple syrup.
NOTE< I choose to apply my preffered seasonings here, as apposed to an overnight or extended dry rub curing process.
I can still take on the same flavors but the enherant flavors and TEXTURES of the pork can still be a prominant part of the flavor profile
(I add my sweetness into my sauce,to avoid burning, but if you like your ribs really sweet, you can brush the ribs with your sweet concoctions now.
return the oven to 425-450 degrees and again here we are looking to rebrown and slightly crisp the outer edges of the meat.
If you are using a sweet, sugar form for this phase, use a lower temp oven (400-425 range because the sugar content will burn easily
watch them carefully, this part of the glaze should take no more than 8-12 minutes.
you should now have ribs that look like cooked ribs, but the last part of the glaze is to apply the SAUCE
before saucing the ribs, you may wish to remove the membrane on the back of the ribs if not already addressed.
the GLAZE
PUTTIN ON THE SAUCE:
DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANT TO PRESENT THE RIBS, YOU CAN LEAVE THE SLAB WHOLE, HALVE IT, OR CUT UP THE INDIVIDUAL RIBS, FOR PARTY LIKE PRESENTATION
do what you think works best for your occasion.
if you are going to cut up individual ribs, cut along the side of the bone, being consistent with the side you choose as you work along the slab, this will give you a uniform presenttation and make for easier consumption for your guests !
I brush my ribs, but you can dip them in the sauce, do what you like.
for me a light aplication of sauce, and offering more for those who like it saucy is how I roll.
regardless put your ribs back into the oven for a final glazing, another 5-10 minutes and you are good to go !
if you are going to hold the ribs for LATER keep the oven warm, around 225 degrees.
this process should take no more than 2 hours start to finish, I will gladly offer suggestions for sauce recipes as well as how you can employ these methods for your particular BBQ apparatus.
ENJOY !
recap:
brown the ribs(with veggies) 15 minutes
braise the ribs, after a quick boil, about an hour
rest...let the ribs dry...then,
roast for 10 minutes
sauce and glaze for 10 minutes.
VERY IMPORTANT !!!
do NOT THROW AWAY THAT LIQUID! BRING IT TO A BOIL, SIMMER IT FOR ANOTHER 30 MINUTES, STRAIN IT AND SET IT IN THE FREEZER OVERNIGHT !
YOU NOW Have AN AWESOME STOCK FOR YOUR NEXT COOKING ENDEAVOR AND SOME FANTASTIC FAT FOR COOKING OTHER GREAT DISHES !