Current Catalog

BBQ BASH The Be-All, End-All Party Guide, from Barefoot to Black Tie by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig Harvard Common Press April 2008 $29.95/hardcover $16.95/softcover Full-color photographs ISBN-13: 978-1-55832-348-3 Back to book information Printer-friendly page

We love our slow-smoked ribs in The BBQ Queens' Big Book of Barbecue (The Harvard Common Press, 2005). But we know that many grill guys and gals don't slow-smoke over wood. So what to do? Figure out how to do really good indirectly grilled ribs with a kiss of smoke-and here they are. We begin with a sultry, smoky rub and finish with a sauce that has a depth of smokiness from the Zinfandel wine and a bit of liquid smoke. Words of wisdom first: grilling is usually hot and fast, but for this recipe we lower the heat. Most items that are grilled are tender cuts of meat, so we suggest baby backs instead of spare ribs because they are smaller and more tender. We also give you an indoor-outdoor version that calls for slow-baking the ribs first. What about boiling ribs? We think this boils away lots of the flavor and say, won't the baking do almost as well? Anyway, we are not the Barbecued Ribs Police, but merely the BBQ Queens. We won't give you a ticket.

3 whole slabs (about 1-1/2 pounds each) baby back ribs

Smoky Hickory Rub
1/3 cup hickory-smoked salt
1/3 cup celery salt
1/3 cup granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/4 cup smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 cup dry mustard
1/4 cup lemon pepper
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Zinfandel Barbecue Sauce
One 24-ounce bottle ketchup
One 12-ounce bottle chili sauce
1 cup Zinfandel
3/4 cup dark honey
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon hickory-smoked salt
1 tablespoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1 tablespoon ground ancho chile pepper
One 12-ounce squeeze bottle margarine
1/2 cup honey, in a squeeze bottle

Prepare an indirect fire in your grill or smoker to 225° to 250°F. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs.

Combine the smoky hickory rub ingredients in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Secure the lid and shake to blend. Sprinkle the rub on both sides of the ribs. (There will be leftover rub that's delicious on poultry as well as pork. Store the rub in the pantry up to 3 months for best results.) Set the ribs, slightly overlapping, on the indirect-heat side of the grill. Close the lid and cook.

While the ribs begin to cook, prepare the Zinfandel barbecue sauce. In a large saucepan, combine all of the sauce ingredients. Whisk to blend and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour. If the sauce is too thin, continue to cook until it thickens. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water to thin it. Keep warm.

After the ribs have cooked for 1-1/2 hours, turn the ribs over and drizzle with margarine, brushing it evenly over the meat. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes. Turn the ribs again and drizzle with the margarine and honey, brushing them evenly over the meat. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes. Repeat with the margarine and honey, and cover and cook for 30 minutes more. When the ribs are tender and the meat is beginning to pull off the bone, brush the ribs on both sides with some of the barbecue sauce. Cook the ribs for a final 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.

Deck It Out
For a spectacular presentation, serve the whole slabs on a large platter. These delicious ribs call for an all-out barbecue bash. Serve with a panoply of sides, including Heirloom Tomato Bowl with Lemon and Feta, Quick Coleslaw, Potato Salad with Aioli, and Grilled Corn with a Butter for Every Occasion.

Change It Up
You may bake the ribs in a 325°F oven for 2 hours, basting with the margarine and honey. When the meat is tender and beginning to pull off the bone, finish cooking the ribs on the grill, about 10 minutes over a medium-hot fire. As soon as you remove the ribs from the grill, brush them with the barbecue sauce.

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Drink Zin!