Ribs cooked on a smoker or a grill are always better than indoor ribs, but if you don't have a grill, or there's a blizzard, this technique makes tender, juicy, ribs, indoors all year round. The meat bathes in a hot, moist, sauna-like atmosphere and when it is ready it practically falls off the bone. There is no need to marinate or brine this meat.
Yield. One slab of baby backs
Preparation time. About 30 minutes.
Prep and cooking time. About 3 1/2 hours
Note. This recipe is for baby backs. If you use thicker heavier cuts such as spare ribs or St. Louis cut ribs, add 2 hours to the cooking time.
Ingredients
1 slab of baby back ribs
4-6 teaspoons Meathead's Magic Dust
1 bottle (3-4 ounces) liquid smoke
6 ounces of barbecue sauce
About the sauce. You can use a store-bought sauce or one of the recipes on this site such as "Kansas City Classic Sauce". If you go for a store bought, get one that calls itself "smoky". That means it has liquid smoke added. Liquid smoke is made by capturing smoke and condensing it, and it adds an outdoorsy taste to this indoorsy recipe.
About the rub. If you can find sweet smoked paprika, grab it and use it in the rub instead of regular paprika. This will add a nice background layer of smoke to the dish. Most smoked paprika is hot, so it will be too much for a rub unless you have an asbestos tongue.
Do this
1) If necessary, cut the slab to fit on top of the perforated cover of a broiler pan. If you don't have a broiler pan you can use a baking pan with a wire rack. Season each slab lightly on the meaty side only with Meathead's Magic Dust. If time permits, you can wrap the meat with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. This helps pull juices to the surface that help form a crust. The rub also penetrates slightly, like a dry marinade.
2) About 3 1/2 hours before dinner, put a rack in the middle of the oven. Put the bottom half of a broiler pan onto the rack and pour in enough hot water to fill it about 1/2" deep. Add the liquid smoke. Place the meat on the slotted cover of the broiler pan, meaty side down. Broil (on medium if your oven offers the option) for about 5 minutes watching it carefully with the door of the oven open. The fat on the underside should start to bubble and melt and the bottom should brown. Do not let it burn. When it is brown, turn it over, meaty side up. Switch to bake for 3 hours at 225F. Check periodically to make sure the water has not evaporated. If it has, add more. Switch on the kitchen fan because the liquid smoke smell can get strong.
3) Read this article to see how to tell when the meat is ready.
4) Turn the slab meaty side down. Slather the meat with the sauce of your choice, and broil for 5 minutes or until the sauce bubbles, watching closely to make sure it doesn’t burn. Repeat for the meaty side. Serve.
This page was revised 7/3/08
