Monday, May 31, 2010

Grilled Pork Ribs


My honey just made us some of the most fabulous ribs. He really likes to grill and has been trying out some new recipes. This one definitely delighted my taste buds. I'm still thinking about the ribs and wishing we had leftovers. Too bad we gobbled up all the ribs in one sitting. So I asked my hubs to share with you his technique. Here he is...

Here are the steps I used to Barbeque Pork Ribs on my small two-burner gas grill. Every grill will probably cook differently, but the concepts are the same.

1) Remove the pork ribs from the package and remove the silvery membrane on the bone side of the ribs. Start at one of the corners and you can get under the membrane and start peeling it away. Once you've lift off part of the membrane, you can grip it with a paper towel so it doesn't slip out of your hands. Then wash the rack of ribs thoroughly with water and pat dry with paper towels.

2) Add a good "rub" to the ribs. This is what will really give the ribs a good flavor. Here's the rub I used:

1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp mustard powder
2 tsp salt
3 tsp brown sugar

Mix all the ingredients up and spread it over both sides of the rack of ribs. Spread half of it on the meat side and literally "rub" it in and work it into the meat. Spread the other half on the bone side and do the same thing. Wrap the rack of ribs that have just been "rubbed" in saran wrap and place in the fridge for 24 hrs.

3) Make the "smoke bombs". Get some grilling wood chips (I use Hickory smoke flavor). The smoke produced from these will add some extra flavor to the ribs. Place about half a cup of damp wood chips in the center of a sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap them up in such a way that there is only one layer of foil on one side. Then on that side, punch some holes in the foil (I use a fork). When I made these ribs, I made two "smoke bombs".

4) The key to grilling pork ribs is using "indirect" heat. With my smaller gas grill, the way I set it up is like this (see picture below). Place the "smoke bombs" on top of the lava rocks beneath the grilling rack in opposite corners. Then place a disposable aluminum pan and fill it about 1/2 to 3/4 full with water and place it on top of the grilling rack. This doesn't steam the ribs but does keep them from drying out. My grill has 2 layers of grilling racks (I think the top one is a warming rack, but that is what I'll use to grill the ribs). If your grill does not have this, you can just get an extra grilling rack and place it on top of the aluminum pan. Warm up the grill on MEDIUM heat for about 10 minutes. This will get the wood chips to start smoking. Right before you put the ribs on the grill, turn the grill down to LOW heat.



5) When the grill has warmed up sufficiently, take a folded paper towel soaked in vegetable oil and rub it over the grill rack. This will prevent the ribs from sticking to the rack. Place the pork ribs with the bones facing down on the top rack and baste the meat with apple cider. This will help tenderize the meat, keep them moist and add some flavor to the meat while grilling.

6) Check the ribs every 45 minutes and baste them with the apple cider each time. Avoid checking more frequently as everytime you open the grill, you loose the smoke and the heat. Also, do NOT turn the ribs. You will grill the ribs with the bones down the whole time.

7) It takes about 2.5 - 3 hours to cook the ribs. Time will vary according to the grill. You kind of have to experiment. There are number of ways to tell if the meat is done: the temperature of the meat is between 160-180 degrees, the meat flakes off the bone, and a tooth pick or fork will pass easily through the meat.

8) The last 1/2 hour is when you add your favorite barbeque sauce. Baste the meat side with your favorite barbeque sauce and let cook for 5 minutes. Then flip the ribs and baste the other side and let cook for 5 minutes. Repeat this until both sides have been basted three times (total of 30 minutes).

9) Your ribs are done! Enjoy!

Let me just reiterate that these ribs were delish!!! Thanks to my hot hubby for the great meal!

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