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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Delicatessen Spare Ribs


You've noticed we do spare ribs a lot on Sizzle Grove.  Yeah, they're a bit trickier than back ribs and require more preparation, but they're so meaty and glorious.  Here's a recipe inspired by our friend Rob, which combines the peppery/garlicky flavor of deli style meats such as pastrami with the smokey, indulgent wonderfulness of barbecue.

Give yourself some time, as this one gets brined overnight.  (pictured below: brined, rubbed, raw ribs)

BRINE:
2 cups water
2 tbsp white or rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, just chopped in half
Drizzle of worcestershire sauce
1 cup of ice cubes

DRY RUB:
Plenty of Sizzle Grove Delicatessen Dry Rub, minus garlic powder
3 cloves fine chopped garlic

MEAT:
One trimmed rack of spare ribs plus rib tips

STEPS:
1. Combine all ingredients for brine, except ice cubes, in a saucepan.  Bring to a light boil.
2. Remove from heat, add ice cubes to bring down to room temperature.
3. Pour brine over trimmed ribs to cover, adding a bit more water if necessary, and refrigerate for 12-48 hours.
4. When ready to cook, start up some coals, soak some wood chunks, and drain/rinse brine off of ribs.
5. Coat ribs heartily with dry rub and chopped garlic.
6. Cook ribs on smoker, with vents adjusted to get a temp of about 250 degrees F.
7. After 2-3 hours, or once well browned and cooked through, wrap ribs in foil and cook for one more hour.
8. Chop up and enjoy.  No need for sauce on these spicey monkeys.