Want to give back - babyback ribs, actually

[Tab]

Thanks to all who welcomed me back. I don't think I've ever shared this recipe/technique...

It may not be perfect, but it's the culmination of all the experimentation I was in the mood to do, and people like it.

I love babyback ribs. I don't cook them often. I used to just slather on bbq sauce and grill and ended up with burnt ribs. So I started one of my "quests" to learn how to make them well enough that I'm not embarassed serving them.

It took a while, but I figured it out. They need to be precooked, but how?

Keep in mind that I am not a "recipe" cook, I'm an improvisational cook. So I don't have exact measurements for anything, although for ribs it really doesn't matter.

Anyway, the precook technique is not boiling, which leaches flavor, or baking, which dries them out, but steaming - in beer, actually, although you can use water if beer is an issue.

I take a rack and cut it into chunks of 4 or so ribs each. Usually about 4 chunks per rack, and I can fit (onto my roasting pan) 2 racks (8 to 10 sections).

A good roasting pan, and some wire racks to raise the ribs up.

I rub the ribs liberally with Cugino's Mar-Garlica Rubz. This is great stuff.



I put them on the rack. Underneath them I pour 1 to 1.5 cans of Fosters.



Exactly how much you need varies on the pan you're putting it, but you want to be able to run it for about 90 minutes without drying out. Extra doesn't hurt, just don't let it overlap the meat.

Cover the pan/meat with an aluminum foil tent, put it in the over for about 90 mins or so at about 350 or so. I have a convection oven so, you'll have to experiment.

You want to cook them so the meat falls off, but it doesn't totally dry up. This really depends on what temp and where you are, and the cut of meat, but 90 minutes seems to be a good starting point.

Then you want to finish them on the grill. I coat them with Apple BBQ sauce. My favorite apple-flavored BBQ sauce doesn't seem to be available any more, but I've been using Charlie Beiggs Maine Apple BBQ sauce which is a good substitute (not as good as the old one, but as I said, I can't find it any more).



Obviously you can use any BBQ sauce you want, but I've found that apple makes for a nice pairing with the ribs.

Cook bone-side down as long as you can without burning, then flip and finish on the meat side.

Yum!

Too bad we're having an ice storm here, or I'd make this now. :)

[eleny]

1. Thanks for these great tips

I used to be such a lousy ribs cook. Then I started getting the St. Louis cut of ribs and baking them in a tight foil wrap until they were done. Then remove them from the foil, lay them in one of those V-shaped roaster racks and basting with a sauce. Broil one side and then the other but watching carefully so they don't burn. They still come out good even if not on the grill - although I'm sure I only talked myself into that.

Now I need to get into using a rub first so they take in more flavor in the baking. And adding some beer to my foil enclosure. Garlic-lime sounds heavenly to me. I know I'd love it.