This was recently published in "The Chaotic Kitchen"
(Please excuse any typos that I made)

We'll always remember ya, Cuch.



Real Barbecue Spare Ribs
Cuchulain Libby


Texas, USA



Barbecue does not include foil or crockpots and bbq sauce is to be served at
the table. Good barbecue ribs simply do not require and are not improved by
sauce. As for rubs, I submit a recipe to get you started but salt and pepper
work fine and you should find a mixture you like with salt and pepper as the
main ingredients and the rest as flavorings. Not all of us have nor want a
cinder block lined hole in the ground with a bedspring as the grill or a
$1000 steel plate 3-chamber log burner (what I cook in). Adequate bbq is
easily made in a $30 Brinkman H2O Smoker or a Weber kettle. It cannot be
replicated in one's kitchen. Nor is it a "recipe", it really is a technique.
Some define it as poor cuts of meat that, when subjected to the proper
combination of time and smoke, become sublime. That works for me. As for
fuel, a small hot fire is better than a large smoldering one. The smoke
should be wispy and blue, not billowing clouds and if you see dark smoke, you
are choking it. In order of preference is hardwood logs, hardwood chunks,
lump, and lastly briquettes and chips.



1 rack pork spare ribs, 3 ½ pounds or less, ideally.

1 cup Barbecue Rub

Yellow Mustard (optional)



Barbecue rub:

½ cup Kosher Salt

½ cup fresh ground black pepper

¼ cup brown sugar (optional)

½ cup good Paprika

1/3 cup onion/garlic powder

1/3 cup good chili powder or favorite ground chile powder

1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 Tablespoon roasted/ground each of cumin and coriander seeds

1 Tablespoon Coleman's dry mustard

1 teaspoon cayenne



Method:

Let the ribs come to room temperature and start the fire. Rinse and dry
rack. Trim flap and small end if desired. With the end of a spoon, lift off
part of the membrane, grab with a paper towel and pull off as much as you
can. Slather the ribs with some mustard. Don't fret about the flavor, it's
just the mortar to hold the rub. I use a big spice jar with the perforated
lid as a shaker to apply the rub. If you forego the mustard, just spoon on
the rub and lightly press it into the meat. Both sides in either case. When
the temperature is stabilized in the pit, about 225* F, place ribs bone side
up and cook approximately five hours.

If you use a kettle: Bank the coals to one half with a single layer on the
other half. Put the ribs on the hot side and cook for about ½ hour turning
often then put the ribs on the cool side, place the lid so the vents are over
the ribs and cook about an hour. You may have to add more coals to the hot
side. For fuel, lump is OK, as are chunks. A chimney starter can be used to
pre-burn the coals for adding during a session.

To test for doneness, grab one end and try to fold the ribs in half, if they
fold easily let rest for a few minutes and enjoy.



Hound