Must-Have Mains

Must-Have Mains

Low-and-Slow Barbecue Pork Ribs

Makes 6 to 8 servings

½ cup Barbecue Dry Rub (recipe follows)
2 (2½- to 3-pound) racks St. Louis-style pork ribs, patted dry and membranes removed
Finger Lickin’ Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Rub Barbecue Dry Rub all over ribs. Wrap ribs in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

2. Unwrap ribs, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat(350° to 400°).

4. Stack rib racks, one on top of the other, and grill over indirect heat, covered with grill lid, for 1 hour. Rotate stacks top to bottom, and grill for 1 hour.

5. Rotate stacks again, and grill for 30 minutes. Unstack ribs, and place over direct heat. Brush with Finger Lickin’ Barbecue Sauce.

6. Grill until ribs are tender and sauce is caramelized and brown, about 20 minutes, watching carefully for flare-ups.

Barbecue Dry Rub

Makes about ¾ cup

3 tablespoons dry mustard
3 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

1. In a small resealable jar, shake together all ingredients. Store at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Finger Lickin’ Barbecue Sauce

Makes 4 cups

2 cups root beer (not diet)
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
2 cups ketchup
½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 dried bay leaf

1. In a medium saucepan, cook root beer over medium-high heat until reduced to ½ cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

In same pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in reduced root beer, ketchup, and all remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring