My Neighbor's Barbecued Ribs

My Neighbor's Barbecued Ribs

For years I have heard about my neighbor making the best ribs around. Still, even knowing that, I was blown away the first time I tasted them. They were full of flavor. Often the bones would fall out when you picked them up. They were tender and the best I’ve ever had. This isn’t his recipe, but it is as close as I can get from spying on him when he cooks. He doesn’t know, but I’m taking notes when I see him at the grill.

Now my neighbor is equipped for the job. He has a Weber kettle grill that is about five feet in diameter.  He can stack five full slabs of ribs on one side, and have the charcoal on the other side of the grill. It is a sight to see. While that is nice, a normal Weber kettle or any other full sized grill will do as long as you watch your heat so it doesn’t get too hot.

My neighbor likes to get the full pork slabs, Flintstone ribs, as he calls them. If you are in the Chicago area, he gets his at Peoria Meats, near downtown. If you can’t get these, slabs of baby back ribs will work well. Don’t worry about cooking time, the ribs will tell you when they are ready for sauce. Oh, one more thing, never, NEVER par boil your ribs! If you want them done right, there are no short cuts. It is an all day process.

At least two slabs of pork ribs

(or three slabs of baby backs)

Cajun seasoning

White pepper

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Paprika

Norman’s Barbecue Sauce

Preparation

At least one day ahead, preferably two, mix your dry rub as follows: 3 parts cajun seasoning, two parts onion powder and one part each of the following: white pepper, garlic powder and the paprika. Since I don’t know how many slabs you are cooking, I can’t tell you how much. For a start, make one part equal to a tablespoon. Mix the seasoning mix and rub it on all sides of the ribs until all surfaces are seasoned. Refrigerate for one or two days.

Start your charcoal grill with a pile of charcoal far on one side of the grill. If you want, add a branch of hardwood as the far border of the charcoal, to provide extra smoke. Pile a bunch of dry sticks and twigs on top of the charcoal and use a torch to light them. (I don’t believe in charcoal starter fluid. I want my charcoal to taste like charcoal.) The sticks will burn down and light the coals.

When the coals are starting to get hot (they don’t have to be fully white) place the ribs, stacked, one on top of the other, on the far side of the grill. If you are using baby back ribs, you can stack three slabs in one stack. The upper slabs will baste the lower slabs. Cover the grill. As long as the meat is not over the coals, it is ok for your grill to get hot at first. 

This is going to take about eight hours for full pork slabs and probably six hours for baby back ribs. Once the coals start to diminish, you can maintain a moderate temperature by adding a handful of charcoal every fifteen or twenty minutes. Not too much. After the initial coals cook down, you don’t want this getting any hotter than 300º, around 250º is good. As you add a handful of charcoal every fifteen minutes, you also want to shuffle the ribs. Every other shuffle, turn them over as well. If you have three in a stack, top goes to the bottom, and the other two move up one position. Try to drip the juices from one slab on to another one to conserve the flavor.

Continue shuffling and adding charcoal until the slabs start falling apart as you shuffle them. If a bone falls out, you know you are getting close. Once the ribs are ready, add another handful of charcoal. Spread the ribs out in a single layer (but not over the coals). Spoon a heavy layer of Norman’s Barbecue Sauce (see my August 21st post) over the ribs. Close the cover of the grill for fifteen minutes. Add another handful of charcoal, turn the ribs over and sauce that side as well. Cover the grill for a final fifteen minutes and you’re ready to serve.

Serving

What do you serve with barbecue ribs? You want extra barbecue sauce on the table. What else? How about corn on the cob, homemade potato salad, and pickles are good too. Fresh baked bread and butter and ice cold beer is a must. I would also suggest cherry pie for dessert.