Barbecued Baby Back Ribs
Grilling baby back ribs is an exercise in patience, requiring low and slow heat to break down the tough connective tissue for a tender result (similar to what happens for braising; see pages 180–181). This method is called barbecuing, created by maintaining a constant stream of hot smoke over, rather than directly under, the ribs. To do this, the coals are heaped on one side and the ribs placed on the other; the opened vents, positioned over the ribs, draw the heat from the coals to the ribs. The temperature of the grill should be carefully monitored so that it never gets higher than 300°F; a basic oven thermometer set near the ribs will prove indispensable here. To cool it down quickly, open the lid.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Marinate ribs Rub paste evenly over ribs and wrap well in plastic. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 12 hours.
Step 2
Prepare grill Open the bottom vents and fill a chimney starter to the top with charcoal briquettes and allow them to burn until all are coated with a fine gray ash. Scrub grates with a grill brush and sweep lightly with oil. Push charcoal to one side of the grill and set the ribs on the opposite side. Rest an oven thermometer near the ribs. Cover the grill, then open the vents and position them over the ribs (this draws heat from coals to ribs).
Step 3
Grill ribs After 20 minutes, check on the temperature inside the grill. The thermometer should read 275°F to 300°F (open lid, if necessary, to lower temperature). Let the ribs cook like this for a total of about 2 hours, turning them over and rotating 90 degrees every 30 minutes and adding more coals after 1 hour. If the ribs seem to be getting too dark too soon, tent them with foil. After 2 hours, the ribs should be cooked through (to test doneness, lift and hold the rack with tongs—they should bend and start to break away at the bend point) and nicely charred in spots; if not, continue cooking and check frequently until they are ready (this could take up to about 30 minutes more). Brush ribs with some sauce and cook 15 minutes more. Transfer ribs to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving with remaining sauce.
ABOUT BARBECUE
Step 4
The terms grilling and barbecuing are often used interchangeably, but there is an important (if little known) distinction between the two techniques. Barbecuing uses indirect heat at a very low temperature—even lower than indirect heat grilling—to slowly cook food with a combination of heat and smoke. The slow and low heat of barbecuing is ideally suited for large, tougher cuts of meat, such as whole briskets and racks of ribs. Grilling, on the other hand, uses a more intense direct heat that browns the meat, but that doesn’t add the depth of smokiness that distinguishes true barbecue.
Equipment
Step 5
A 22-inch round charcoal grill is ideal for grilling ribs, as it will allow enough room for both hot and cool spots created by the charcoal. An 18-inch grill will also work, but you will need to start with fewer briquettes and to replenish them more frequently during cooking. Either way, they must be tended to with a watchful eye. Although it burns hotter than briquettes, hardwood lump charcoal can be used instead: Fill a chimney starter three-fourths full and add a handful of coals every 20 minutes; if the temperature in the grill rises too high, wait about 30 minutes before adding more coals. The trick is to know when the coals are starting to burn out, which can cause a significant decline in temperature; adding more coals at the right time will help maintain steady heat.
