Not just another great recipe for ribs

Google it. There are SO many rib recipes that it’s mind-boggling. With that said, this recipe makes the best ribs. What makes them The Best? The rub is different, the kind of rib is different, and the cooking method is different. I will give you this recipe in a no-recipe style, except I will give the cooking times and hints. Most importantly, I am going to give you my rub recipe.

First, I started with St. Louis-style ribs. They are usually meatier and full of flavor! Second, I bought Berkshire Pork, and I think this is one of the fundamental differences between this recipe and others. The ribs were moist and delicate and super porky! Third, I cooked them low and slow in the oven with only a few pats of butter. Fourth, you don’t need anything special for the bbq sauce to finish with. Get your favorite, add a little beer and mustard, and go to town. Slather the ribs, brown them, then cut, and serve.

The rub: Two tablespoons of onion powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, ground coriander, and ground cumin. One tablespoon each of ground mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Two teaspoons of oregano, white pepper, and cayenne (you can add more or like depending on your heat level) and a quarter cup of light brown sugar. Combine everything completely. This makes a lot. Store the extra in a tight container. It will keep for a couple of weeks.

The pork: Remove the thin silver membrane on the back of the rib. Lay the ribs, bone side down, on plastic wrap, and generously apply the rub all over the ribs. When done, wrap the ribs tightly with plastic wrap, then foil them in the fridge for the magic to happen.

Let the ribs sit overnight is best. But 24 hours is even better. When you are ready to go, take the ribs, unwrap them, and let them warm up a little on the counter – about an hour. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. While the oven is heating, cut four to five tablespoons of butter and put a piece on the ribs an inch or two apart. Wrap the ribs in a boat style – it should look like a bad reproduction of a Gondola, with a new sheet of tin foil, and place the ribs, bone side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. You want to feel comfortable that the foil isn’t going to leak. You want all that pork juice to stay with the ribs!

Put the ribs in the oven, and forget them for two and a half to three hours. You can make a bbq sauce any way you want – this is all up to you! I Kraft masterpiece bbq sauce thinned with beer and added a good squeeze of Golds yellow mustard. Mix to combine and leave the kitchen. Your job is done for now.

After two and a half hours, remove the ribs and turn the heat in the oven to 425. Unwrap the ribs enough to slather them with bbq sauce and keep all the juices in the foil. Put them back into the oven at a higher heat and check every five minutes. Keep slathering with sauce until you have a deep crust. Remove them from the oven, and let them rest for five minutes. Cut and serve.