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Tews Place |
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Loving God isn't hard on you. Don't be hard on God. |
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The Illustrated Guide to The Ribs The pictures are on pages 3 and 4 |
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Steve's Jack & Emeril & Dave BBQ Ribs
Get a few slabs of good ribs from your favorite butcher. Baby back are nice. In any case have the butcher remove the membrane on the underside for you. Or you can do it. Grab the membrane at the small end of the slab with a paper towel and peel it back.
You will need the ingredients in the picture: Emeril's Essence, Famous Dave's Rich and Sassy Sauce, Jack Daniels Whiskey, a good paprika, plus salt and fresh - ground pepper. Don't use a pepper shaker, and don't substitute except for the brand of paprika. (These are the minimums. You can get some cayenne to kick it up if you want to.)
Heat the oven to about 275 - 300 degrees. If you have less time, use more heat... If you want the real slow - cooked experience set the heat to about 245. (If you are in a hurry, go to 325. It's still gonna be better than any restaurant ribs you have ever had.)
Your cooking time will be two to three hours depending on the oven temp and your own self control. (If you are cooking at a high temperature, check the ribs after about an hour. Also, a higher temperature means that the gasses from the spices will be more pronounced in the house.) I start at 275 for one hour, then raise it to 325 for another hour and a half or so.
..... The Rub.....
Combine Emeril's Essence and paprika in a good - sized bowl. Mix one part Essence to two parts paprika. This is usually a good starting point.
Since taste varies, start with teaspoon measures. You might decide that you like 2:1 Essence to paprika instead of the other way around. Taste it. Tip the flavor to your liking by adding salt, pepper, essence, cayenne, or paprika. Now that you know your proportions, add ingredients to the bowl so that you have enough to cover the ribs with lots left to spare. That's your rub.
...... The Ribs ......
You can use the whole slabs or cut to three or four bone chunks. Salt and pepper both sides.
Cover them with the rub. You can shake 'em in a shopping bag or just cover them with the rub by sprinkling and patting, or dredge them in the bowl. They need to be completely covered, and the loose stuff gently shaken off.
Put them on a cookie sheet or roasting pan large enough to hold them without bumping into one another, and let them sit for at least twenty minutes. The meat will sweat through the rub and they will turn dark.
Put them into the oven.
..... The Sauce .....
Pour your Famous Dave's sauce into a sauce pan. Add half that amount of Jack Daniels whiskey. That's two to one, or maybe you could add a little more whiskey. That's O.K.
(WARNING! Do not use any other brand of whiskey, or try to get away with the so - called Jack Daniels BBQ sauce that you get in the store! If you do, it will be the ruination of western civilization. Stick with the real deal. I have been experimenting with BBQ for over twenty years and this is the simplest and best recipe on the planet.)
A secret to kicking up the sauce a bit is to add a little of your rub to the sauce. How much? Depends on you, but be gentle. Dave's sauce has the character that blends with JD nearly perfectly and you don't want to overwhelm it.
Set a low temp under the sauce and reduce to original volume. You have plenty of time, because the ribs are gonna take a while. The character of the sauce changes over time. In the early stage it is worth tasting… Wow!
Have a shot of JD and relax for a bit.
.... The Finish ....
Check the ribs after a while based on the guidance at the start of this recipe. You will see that a nice crust has formed over most of them and there is a bit of moisture and grease in the pan. The meat will be pulling back from the ends of the bones just a bit. By this time, if your windows are open, the neighbors will be coming over. They will be salivating. Do what you can to control them. You should have one of the Kings (BB, Freddy, Albert…) playing on the stereo.
You can take one out (a rib, not a neighbor) and cut an end off to try it. If they are done take them all out of the oven and crank the heat up to 450 degrees. While the oven is getting really hot, slather the sauce over them. Put them back into the oven and watch them. When the edges just start to blacken it's time to get them out and saddle up!
Turn off the oven!
Serve as you like with a sweet cole slaw, baked beans, and a cold beer or mint julep.
Desert... Pineapple upside down cake. (Use the oldest Betty Crocker Cookbook recipe that you can find.)
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