All American BBQ

With Father’s Day approaching and summer around the bend, it’s time to get the grill ready for some great barbecued ribs. The secret, of course, lies in the rub and the sauce. The recipe I’ve developed blends the best of East and West condiments and creates an exotic “a party in the mouth.” Both the rub and the sauce can be made ahead of time and stored tightly in bottles for later use. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe also is great for grilling chicken or beef ribs. Even fish or shrimp.
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Ingredients

​The Rub (for 2 slabs of baby back pork ribs, about 3½ lbs)

• 2 T Korean pepper (ground)
• 2 T sumac
• 1 T ancho chili (ground)*
• 1 T garlic powder
• 2½ T paprika
• 1½ T black pepper
• 2½ T brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt

  * Penzey's Arizona Dreaming Seasoning can also be used. 

The Basting Sauce

• 2½ cups tomato ketchup
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins)
• 1 T organic molasses
• 1 T (heaping) brown sugar
• 2 T Sriracha sauce
• 2 tsp Tabasco sauce
• ½ cup red wine vinegar

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Preparation

1. Mix all rub ingredients in a bowl.
2. Trim fat then remove fascia tissue from pork ribs by making an incision at one side of the rack with a knife and pulling fascia tissue up and across the ribs to remove.
3. Use a spoon to sprinkle rub all over the ribs on both sides. Press the rub in with your hands so it doesn't come off.
4. Roll the ribs up and place them in a plastic bag and the tie end of the bag so that it is compact and airtight.
5. Refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 days) or at least 5 hours before grilling with basting sauce.
6. Mix all ingredients for the basting sauce thoroughly in a bowl and taste (mainly the saltiness, sweetness, and some sourness-from the sumac.) Your creation should have a nice balance of sweet and sour.
7. Adjust the sauce to suit your taste preferences. For a saltier, more pungent flavor add more Worcestershire sauce. For more sourness, add more vinegar and/or Tabasco sauce. To bump up the heat and spiciness, add more Sriracha sauce. For a sweeter flavor, add more brown sugar. You will need a lot of sauce to baste the meat often (and again before serving).
8. When you’ve perfected the flavor balance, refrigerate the sauce in a capped glass bottle or jar.

Grilling

1. ​To set up a charcoal grill for indirect grilling, use a coal chimney to light the charcoal. Then place the charcoal in two baskets at either side of the grill.
2. When barbecuing, first put the meat directly on top of the fire of a basket. Sear for 30 seconds on each side to bring the temperature up.
3. Next place the rib slabs in the middle of the grill, away from the direct heat of the charcoal basket. This indirect heat is a slow cooking method that gives superior outcome and tenderness.
4.  Close the grill cover and open the top vent. If the heat is not sufficient, add a few charcoal briquettes and even some wood chips to each grill basket every 15- 20 minutes.
5. Cooking time depends on the temperature (ambient and grill temperatures). In cooler weather it can take about three hours over indirect heat.
6. While you barbecue, generously baste the meat with a brush.
7. After the meat is cooked (the bone should come through the meat), remove from grill and baste the meat again before serving.

Incision in rack

Grabbing fascia tissue

Pulling across to remove easily

Adding rub

Roll up & wrap

Grill over indirect heat & baste