Rib Shack-Style Barbecued Ribs

 

 

No more need to order ribs! I’ve been working on this recipe for quite some time now, and I do believe it’s finally ready to share! Juicy, moist, fall-off-the-bone tender, slow-roasted pork that literally melts in your mouth!  

It’s starts with my very own rib rub, mostly consisting of things you already have in your pantry. The only thing you might have to order as we do, is the smoked salt. But this is a must for this recipe!  We just order from an online company called “The Spice Barn”, but you can find this item made by many companies and choose whatever brand you like. It has a smokey “grill-like” flavor that I really love. I also use it on chicken, fish and beef and add it to my chili. 😉

But it doesn’t stop there! I end with a wet bbq sauce, that’s sweet with a touch of honey, spicy with a little kick, and just a bit smoky, too! The best of BOTH worlds! Well, the best in my own humble, personal opinion anyways! I also like that mine, with just a light tug, is roasted until the meat comes completely free from the bone.

I read recently that, in cook-offs and competitions, that judges say the meat should “stick to the bone, and be slightly tough and chewy”. Well, sorry judges, but I disagree with ya’s!

Tough, chewy meat that you have to gnaw off of the bone just isn’t my idea of the ideal pork rib enjoyment experience! But to each his own as they say!

If you’re with me, you will LOVE these ribs! They’re finger lickin’, lip smackin’, plate swipin’ good and VERY easy to make!  We had ours with my “Cheddar Pea Salad” (recipe coming tomorrow), and some deep fried onion rings (recipe also coming soon!)  Lots of pics for you to see, so I’ll quit babbling and let’s get crackin’! 

First is the rub! I always use dark brown sugar because it doesn’t get hard and turn into a brick like the light always does. Mix these ingredients extremely well so that you don’t get a bite of something that wasn’t mixed in well. Stir and fold a LOT. 

 

 

 

 

Once mixed, it will look like this…wet the end of your pinky and give it a taste! It’s wonnnnnderful!!

 

 

 

 

The next step is crucial! It’s VERY important that you remove the “silver skin”, (the shiny rib membrane), from the back of the ribs or the rub will not even penetrate through it to flavor the meat on that side. I just scrape a corner of it with a spoon to get it started, then pull the whole thing off in one long piece. Sorry for the icky pic, but there’s just no getting around it. 

 

 

 

 

I have experimented and have done this next part 2 ways. I’ve wrapped them whole, and I’ve wrapped them cut into serving-sized pieces. We personally love the way they come out cut up much better for some reason. So this part is up to you. Keep in mind that cut up has an advantage of being MUCH easier to turn later, but does use more foil.

If using more foil doesn’t bother you, then I highly recommend that you cut each length of rib into 3-4 equal sized pieces and wrap individually.  Spray foil with butter-flavored cooking spray (I like Crisco’s), coat with rub on meaty side first, then back side, match up sides, fold down over and over until touching meat, then roll up ends like a nice package. Be careful not to tear foil or have bones poke a hole! Use heavy-duty foil!

 

 

 

 

All sealed up and onto a foil-lined baking sheet.

 

 

 

 

After baking, open foil packages carefully! Use tongs, there will be a lot of steam! 

 

 

 

 

Place back onto foil-lined baking sheet back sides-up. Change foil if needed and broiling. 

 

 

 

 

Coat backs with bbq sauce first and place under broiler or onto grill. *If broiling watch CAREFULLY. Can take less than a minute! As soon as the sauce starts to sizzle, remove immediately. If grilling, place sauce side-down onto grill. Turn pieces over and repeat. 

Sorry about this pic, a storm was coming and I had to really put a rush on!!!

 

 

 

 

I like to add a little coarse ground pepper both before and after grilling or broiling, too. But I’m a pepper fanatic! 

 

 

 

 

Aaaaaaaand we’re done!!! 

 

 

 

 

Have the napkins handy and dig in!!

 

 

 

 

We had ours with not only onion rings, but my Cheddar Pea Salad….but in a rush I for got to add it to my plate until I got back into the house! I could see the flashes of lightning behind me, so I headed into the house to take cover and enjoy my ribs! So hope you enjoy them, too!!

Fall off the bone tender and juicy!!

 

 

 

 

Goes great with this Dill Potato Salad, also my Old-Fashioned Mustard Potato Salad and my Sweet Creamy Southern Cole Slaw!

 

 

 

 

 

 

RIB SHACK-STYLE BARBECUED RIBS

serves 4-6

 

Kelly’s Dry Rib Rub:

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. Hickory Smoked salt

1 Tbl. smoked sweet paprika

1 Tbl. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. Creole Seasoning

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1/4 tsp cinnamon

 

 Sweet ‘n Spicy BBQ Sauce:

1 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce

1 Tbl. honey, *can also use molasses (equally as good)

1/4 tsp. Creole Seasoning

1/4 tsp. Hickory Smoked Salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

 

Rest of Ingredients:

4 lbs. (2 full racks) pork baby back ribs, *remove membrane on backs!

coarse ground pepper

lots of napkins!!

 

DIRECTIONS:

Mix rub ingredients extremely well in small bowl, set aside. Do the same for the bbq sauce. Warm in microwave to evenly mix in honey or molasses. Set aside.  

Remove membranes from backs of ribs using a spoon to scrape a corner to get it started. Pull back and remove in one long piece. Discard. Spray insides of sheets of foil with butter-flavored cooking spray. Place whole or cut-up pieces of ribs onto foil meaty sides-up. Coat top sides well with half of the rub. Turn over and coat bone sides with rest of rub. Match up sides of foil and fold down repeatedly until touching meat. Roll up ends to seal well. Be careful not to tear or poke holes in foil.

Place packages onto foil-lined baking sheet(s). Marinate for several hours, overnight or bake now in preheated 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. 

Remove from oven and open packages carefully. Place meat back onto clean foil-lined sheet(s) bone-sides up. Coat well with bbq sauce. Place under broiler and broil until sauce starts to sizzle. Remove immediately. Turn pieces over and repeat. *If grilling, do the same but place coated meat side-down first, coat rib side and turn. 

Place onto a serving plate or platter, cut if needed, and serve! 
*Double sauce if you prefer a heavily coated rib or would like extra for dunking.