RECIPE: Sweet & Spicy Ribs V1.0

I refuse to do it. I refuse to let the summer die. Ok maybe not summer, but the ability to wear shorts without scorn, to not do serious work, and most importantly, to BBQ. Since the last time I wrote about BBQ, I was in a rez room in a building in downtown Toronto. Since then I have been travelling around and have been enjoying real BBQ's. Using the BBQ every chance I've had, I decided to make a great alternative to a chicken wing, the rib.

I did a dry rub first, thinking that was going to be my end result. Many rib cooks debate whether a rib should be a dry rub or a sauced pork product. I love sauce, so I did both for extra flavour.

WING KING's Sweet & Spicy Ribs version 1.0

STEP 1 - DRY RUB RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 rack of ribs
• kosher salt
• garlic powder
• hamburger seasoning
• chili flakes
• sweet smoked paprika
• Cajun seasoning
• Parmesan cheese
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat BBQ to Low-Low/Medium, only 1 side of grill
2. Combine last 7 ingredients in a bowl
3. Rub last 7 ingredients all over the first ingredient until well coated
4. Place rubbed ribs on side of grill not turned on - your cooking indirectly
5. BBQ them on the low heat for approx 45 minutes to an hour, turning part way
   

The ingredients - from right to left:
kosher salt, garlic powder, hamburger seasoning, chili flakes,
sweet smoked paprika, Cajun seasoning, Parmesan cheese


The ribs: found in the freezer - the Manager's Special apparently

The ribs rubbed

The rubbed ribs on the grill

Now that the ribs are on their way to being all BBQ, smokey and good, its time to work on the sauce.

STEP 2 - Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• garlic powder
• honey
• Worcestershire sauce
• Frank's Red Hot sauce
• generic BBQ sauce
• chili flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. heat honey (mine was solid, so I needed to liquify it)
2. combine all ingredients
3. when ribs are close to being done, move to direct heat to crispen up
4. baste the ribs in the sauce just before ribs are done

Sauce ingredients: garlic powder, honey
Worcestershire sauce, Frank's Red Hot sauce,
generic BBQ sauce, chili flakes

The sauce mixed together - turned out so much better than I thought

The ribs cooking on indirect heat. The bones have blackened from
the little bit of blood and from the bones being laid down on a heated side by accident

Basting the ribs

The ribs cooked to near perfection

Normally, I would have cooked the ribs in a roasting pan with a bit of liquid to 'boil' the fat out and loosen the bones, but laziness kicked in and it worked out well without doing that, as long as I cooked it on indirect heat. If I was to do it with the 'roasted' ribs first, then I would have put them on the direct heat to finish the cooking. Also, if you want to be all fancy, put some wood chips inside and smoke the ribs for that real outdoor flavour.

My meal came complete with a blue cheese/ranch salad, stuffing (I love Stove Top!) and a glass with some grenadine with 7-Up poured over. The ribs turned out really good. Not quite fall off the bone, but they certainly were not tough and chewy. The sauce was great and just made the ribs. I miss that meal already!