I wanted to try to branch out beyond burgers for the 4th and this recipe in Cook's Illustrated looked pretty good. The ribs came out well, had a decent "bark" like a dry rub rib should and smelled a bit like bacon. They were a hit at the BBQ. The picture is of the ribs ready to go in the oven to be finished.
Rub
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon table salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Ribs
2 racks St. Louis style spareribs, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds each
1/2 cup apple juice
3 tablespoons apple cider vineagar
large disposable aluminum tray
1/2 cup wood chips, soaked
1. Combine rub ingredients. Place racks on rimmed baking sheet Sprinkle rub on both sides of each rack, rubbing and pressing to adhere. Set aside while prepping grill.
2. Combine apple juice and vinegar and set aside. Open top and bottom grill vent half way and arrange 15 unlit charcoal briquettes evenly on 1 side of grill Place disposable aluminum pan filled with 1 inch water on other side of grill. Fill chimney with about 33 briquettes and light. When coals are covered with a thin layer of ash pour them on top of the unlit briquettes. Sprinkle wood chips on top, place the cooking grate over coals and cover the grill until the grate is hot, about 5 minutes.
3. Place the ribs, meat side down over the water pan. Cover grill positioning the cover vent over the ribs to draw smoke through the grill. Cook for 45 minutes fiddling with the vents to keep the inside of the BBQ 250-275 degrees (I didn't have any way to measure this temp but it was a hot day so I kept the vents pretty well closed). Flip the ribs meat side up, switch their positions, and rotate them 180 degrees. Apply two tablespoons of the apple juice mix to each. Cook for another 45 minutes. Adjust oven rack to middle positions and preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
4. Transfer ribs to wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet (I used my roti pan), meat side up. Apply each rib rack with another 2 tablespoons of the apple juice mix. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the baking sheet and roast for 1 hour. Apply the rest of the apple juice mop and roast for 1 to 2 hours more. The meat should be tender, but not falling off the bone and internal temp should be 195 to 200 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with tin foil and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Eat.
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