Master Chef Bbq Ribs

This is barbecue done the pitmaster way: no shortcuts, all reward. It starts with two things made from scratch, a peppery dry rub and a tangy homemade barbecue sauce, then asks for the one thing great ribs truly need: time.

The rub is a punchy blend of paprika, three kinds of pepper (black, white, and cayenne), onion powder, and salt. Massaged into the ribs and left to sit until the surface turns wet and tacky, it forms the base of a deep, savory bark as the ribs smoke.

The sauce is a project in itself, simmered long with ketchup, vinegar, molasses, onion, and spice, then traditionally jarred and aged for weeks to let the flavors marry, the way old barbecue joints do it. Then the pork ribs cook low and slow over indirect heat for hours, turning periodically, until the meat pulls cleanly from the bone. The crucial move comes at the very end: the sauce, thinned with water, goes on only in the last 15 minutes. Add it sooner and the sugars scorch; add it at the end and it glazes to sticky perfection.

Pro Tips

• Let the rubbed ribs sit until the surface looks wet and tacky. That’s the rub drawing out moisture to form the base of the bark.
• Cook low and slow over indirect heat. Patience, not high heat, is what makes ribs fall-off-the-bone tender.
• Sauce only in the last 15 minutes, and thin it with water. Sugary sauce added early will burn over the long cook.
• Make the sauce well ahead. Aging it lets the flavors deepen and mellow.

Variations

• No smoker? Cook the ribs low and slow in the oven or a covered grill for similar results.
• Adjust the cayenne and chili powder for your heat level.
• Add brown sugar to the rub for a sweeter, more caramelized bark.