I like to get messy. I love to work in the dirt, play with grout when I make one of my mosaic pieces, mix meatloaf ingredients with my hands (sans wedding ring), and eat BBQ until my fingers are so sticky I can’t pry them apart. No dainty knife and fork action for me when I’m eating BBQ. I want the full BBQ experience, sticky hands that adhere to my napkin(s), BBQ sauce on at least one of my ears; the full meal deal! And eating these ribs dipped in Bourbon BBQ Sauce is guaranteed to make you just about as messy as it gets. A little information about BBQ sauce: There are many styles of BBQ sauce, but basically they all fall into 4 “general” types. Style number 1 (going back literally hundreds of years) is very simply a combination of vinegar and pepper (maybe a little brown sugar). The 2nd type is a mustard based sauce, commonly served in South Carolina. Not a bit of tomato to be found. Type number 3 is referred to as a light tomato sauce (basically tomato ketchup with vinegar and pepper). And number 4, the most common sauce of all – heavy slightly sweet tomato sauce. (BTW – Bourbon BBQ Sauce under This & That Recipes definitely lives behind door number 4!)
Now, you may be wondering why I am telling you about different BBQ sauces on a recipe for ribs, but there is a method to my madness. These ribs are absolutely fantastic with nary a sauce in site. And many people prefer to eat their ribs with no embellishment. I personally don’t understand why anyone would eat naked ribs, but who am I to question other peoples’ food choices. All I can say is that (A) these ribs + (B) Bourbon BBQ Sauce = (C) Heaven. Now that’s my idea of a perfect standard form linear equation!
2-3 racks baby back or spareribs (we prefer baby back)
Dry Rib Rub:
- 2 T. paprika
- 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 T. kosher salt
- 2 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. cayenne
- 1 tsp. ancho chili powder (found in most upscale grocery stores in bulk)
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
Combine all Rib Rub ingredients. Spread the rub liberally over the meaty side of the ribs. Then either wrap or cover the meat and refrigerate overnight.
The next day place the ribs in a smoker with hickory or alder wood chips on low heat for about 3½ hours. (If your smoker only has two temperatures (on or off), no problem. You are not cooking the meat; you are merely adding a lovely smoky flavor.) (Of course, if you have a Traeger or similar fancy outdoor appliance for both smoking and cooking the meat, knock yourself out. Just make sure the internal temperature of the meat reaches 190-degrees before it goes on the grill.) But for those of us with less exotic equipment, after the meat smokes, bake the ribs in a covered pan* at 275-degrees for a couple of hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 190-degrees. (Check after an hour.) Why 190-degrees? Because 190 is the temperature at which the fat and collagen start to melt, making for a tender and better tasting rib.
*Use a high sided pan when you bake the ribs because there will be a considerable amount of liquid accumulated in the pan while they bake. Remove from oven. At this point, the ribs can be set aside until needed.
When ready to serve, heat your grill to 400-degrees. Cut the meat into individual ribs, and heat on the grill for 4 minutes on each cut side. Serve with Bourbon BBQ Sauce.
BOURBON BBQ SAUCE
¼ c. unsalted butter
¼ c. minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. brown sugar
2 tsp. whole grain mustard
1 c. ketchup
1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
¼ c. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
¼ tsp. cayenne
2 T. bourbon
Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically, cook the sauce until you it reaches your desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a very low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen!) Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.