Barbecued Pork Ribs

One of the finest delicacies in American cooking has to be a slab of smoked barbecued ribs. If not tops, you have to admit that it ranks up there pretty close.

Yet, as good as they are, many people shy away from trying to make them at home. Are they intimidated by them or do they think they need a fancy smoker to be able to make a great slab of ribs?

Of course a smoker does turn out great ribs, we can cheat a little. With just a backyard grill, some smoking chips and the oven, a great slab of ribs can be had. Plus, it's easier than you might think.

What makes true barbecue so great is the slow process of cooking meat at low temperatures over a fire while at the same time subjecting it to wood smoke. The slow process makes the meat tender while the wood smoke imparts its smokey flavor. Well, we're going to do the same thing.

Prepare Your Ribs

The first thing to do is to remove the membrane from the inner portion of the ribs. This membrane will inhibit the flavors of the meat rub and the smoke from penetrating the meat. Besides, who wants to eat that thing anyway?

Begin on the small end of the slab and work your fingers or a butter knife under the membrane until you have enough of it to grasp. Then slowly start pulling it off. It's similar to pulling a sticker off of something. The hard part is getting it started.

Apply a Meat Rub

A meat rub is important as it adds additional flavor to the ribs. Everyone has their favorites and we constantly experiment with new ones. If you'd like to start making your own, there are some good recipes here. Otherwise, a store bought brand will work for now.

Lightly brush the ribs with olive oil. This helps keep the meat moist while at the same time giving something for the rub to adhere to. "Rub" is a misnomer, we really don't rub it, just sprinkle it on liberally and evenly. If I'm using a coarse rub, such as dried herbs, I may pat it a little to help it stick to the meat. Allow the rub to do its magic for about a half an hour.

Let's Discuss Smoking Chips

Hickory is a good choice of wood for smoking ribs, although maple and apple also work well. Chips that are soaked in water tend to produce more smoke than dry chips, therefore I rarely soak mine since I don't want that much smoke flavor. Yet in this instance we are going to soak them because we're not going to have the ribs on the fire that long. We need to impart the smoke flavor quickly.

Soak a handful of chips for 20 minutes to a half an hour.

Prepare Your Fire

Start a medium to medium-high fire. About 400-degrees F. Once hot, drain the wood chips and sprinkle on top of the coals.

If using a gas grill, wrap the chips in aluminum foil, creating a "packet". Pierce holes on one side with a fork or knife to allow the smoke to escape. Place the packet underneath the cooking grate, right on top of the diverter plate.

Once the chips begin to smoke, it's time to put on the ribs. Place the ribs on the top rack, if you have one. If not, use a metal spatula to push the coals off to one side of your grill. The goal here is not to cook them, but to flavor them with smoke. Should they get a little browned, that's OK. Close the lid and let them smoke for 15 minutes. Flip them over and smoke another 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 200-degrees F.