Best Ribs in Arizona
This is a variation on a recipe I got several years ago while a spectator at the Memphis in May International Festival.
Ingredients:
3 slabs loin baby back ribs, 1-3/4-2 lb size, membrane removed
DRY RUB
1 C granulated sugar
1 C non-iodized table salt
½ C brown sugar, died out lightly on a cookie sheet
5 T + 1 tsp chili powder
2 T + 2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp Accent
4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tsp fresh ground pepper (important: fresh ground)
4 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp onion powder
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Instructions:
Remove membrane on the inner (stomach) side of ribs. Trim all excess fat with a sharp knife.
Combine all dry rub ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store unused portion in a moisture-proof container (I use a glass jar with a screw top lid).
About 2 hours before cooking, sprinkle the ribs with dry rub and allow ribs to come to room temperature. Don’t over-season; a good overall dusting of the spices is all that’s needed. The spices will become a nice red, wet coating after sitting for about an hour, if you used the proper amount.
Basic Cooking Procedure:
Smoke the ribs in either an offset smoker or a Brinkman or Weber “Smoky Mountain Cooker.” Start charcoal (7-10 pounds) and 4 chunks of pecan about the size of tennis balls (or Cherry or White Oak – whatever you prefer) at least 1 hour before you begin cooking the meat. All fuel should be started in a chimney-style starter (no starter fluid, please) and all the charcoal must be grey/white hot. Remove all bark from wood chunks. (I don’t soak the wood). Very little smoke will be visible. Don’t worry about that, you will get the flavor. Use plain water in the water pan in the smoker and keep it full during the entire cooking process. Control cooker temps by regulating the butterfly vent on the offset smoker, or by using the bottom vents on a Brinkman or Weber. Never, ever, completely close the top (stack) vent.
Cook ribs for 3 hours at a fairly cool 225 degrees on the cooking grate. After 3 hours, open the lid for the first time, flip the slabs end-for-end and upside down, open all the smoker vents wide open and add water to the water pan, if necessary. Temperature of the cooker should rise into the 250-275 degree range. Peek every ½ hour to monitor doneness. Ribs are finished when farily brown in color and the meat has pulled down on the long bones at least ½” (usually in another 1 or 2 hours). Remove from smoker and sauce both sides before cutting slabs into servings.
I like Masterpiece BBQ sauce, sweetened even more (5 parts sauce to 1 part honey), but that’s just my personal preference.
I use a digital, instant read thermometer and when I think the ribs are done, I stick it in the meat between the ribs and look for a finish temp of 205 degrees F.
Ingredients:
3 slabs loin baby back ribs, 1-3/4-2 lb size, membrane removed
DRY RUB
1 C granulated sugar
1 C non-iodized table salt
½ C brown sugar, died out lightly on a cookie sheet
5 T + 1 tsp chili powder
2 T + 2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp Accent
4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 tsp fresh ground pepper (important: fresh ground)
4 tsp garlic powder
4 tsp onion powder
________________________________________
Instructions:
Remove membrane on the inner (stomach) side of ribs. Trim all excess fat with a sharp knife.
Combine all dry rub ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store unused portion in a moisture-proof container (I use a glass jar with a screw top lid).
About 2 hours before cooking, sprinkle the ribs with dry rub and allow ribs to come to room temperature. Don’t over-season; a good overall dusting of the spices is all that’s needed. The spices will become a nice red, wet coating after sitting for about an hour, if you used the proper amount.
Basic Cooking Procedure:
Smoke the ribs in either an offset smoker or a Brinkman or Weber “Smoky Mountain Cooker.” Start charcoal (7-10 pounds) and 4 chunks of pecan about the size of tennis balls (or Cherry or White Oak – whatever you prefer) at least 1 hour before you begin cooking the meat. All fuel should be started in a chimney-style starter (no starter fluid, please) and all the charcoal must be grey/white hot. Remove all bark from wood chunks. (I don’t soak the wood). Very little smoke will be visible. Don’t worry about that, you will get the flavor. Use plain water in the water pan in the smoker and keep it full during the entire cooking process. Control cooker temps by regulating the butterfly vent on the offset smoker, or by using the bottom vents on a Brinkman or Weber. Never, ever, completely close the top (stack) vent.
Cook ribs for 3 hours at a fairly cool 225 degrees on the cooking grate. After 3 hours, open the lid for the first time, flip the slabs end-for-end and upside down, open all the smoker vents wide open and add water to the water pan, if necessary. Temperature of the cooker should rise into the 250-275 degree range. Peek every ½ hour to monitor doneness. Ribs are finished when farily brown in color and the meat has pulled down on the long bones at least ½” (usually in another 1 or 2 hours). Remove from smoker and sauce both sides before cutting slabs into servings.
I like Masterpiece BBQ sauce, sweetened even more (5 parts sauce to 1 part honey), but that’s just my personal preference.
I use a digital, instant read thermometer and when I think the ribs are done, I stick it in the meat between the ribs and look for a finish temp of 205 degrees F.
