Don’t have a smoking rig? No problem. These ribs, from Mississippi chef and cookbook author John Currence, are almost — almost! — as good. They hark back to the ribs of Currence’s New Orleans childhood, and while they might not satisfy ‘que snobs, they’re perfect for home cooks who lack time or “just want to put their Braveheart face paint on and start pounding beers before the game,” he writes in “TAILGREAT: How to Crush it at Tailgating” (Ten Speed Press, $28). See below for all the plastic wrap and liquid smoke details.
Easy As Pie Oven BBQ Ribs
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup kosher salt
¾ cup smoked paprika
¼ cup mustard powder
¼ cup garlic powder
¼ cup onion powder
½ cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 full racks St. Louis–cut pork ribs
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce (optional)
Directions
To make the dry rub, blend the brown sugar, salt, smoked paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes and cinnamon together in a small bowl and set aside.
One at a time, place the rib racks on a cutting board with the concave (bottom) side up. You should see a milky membrane covering the inside of the rib cage. Working carefully and deliberately, dig underneath the membrane with a knife at one corner of the rack and begin pulling it up. The entire membrane usually comes away from the ribs relatively easily. It is slippery, so it is best to grab with a paper napkin or kitchen towel.
Place each rack on a piece of plastic wrap and sprinkle liberally with the dry rub, reserving some for the final step. Drizzle with a few drops of liquid smoke. Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Place the ribs, still wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, on a baking sheet, keeping them in one layer, if possible. Cook for 2 ½ hours. Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly. (Leave the oven on.)
Carefully remove the aluminum foil and plastic wrap. With the ribs still on the baking sheet, cover loosely with foil and return to the oven. Cook for 2 hours more, or until a skewer pushes through the ribs easily.
Thirty minutes before the ribs are supposed to come out of the oven, prepare a hot charcoal or wood fire.
Remove the ribs from the oven and either sprinkle them again with the dry rub or brush with your favorite barbecue sauce, if desired. Place the ribs on the grill, cooking them long enough to mark each side with grill marks for extra texture and flavor. Remove from the grill, cut between the ribs to separate and serve immediately.
— From John Currence’s “TAILGREAT: How to Crush it at Tailgating” (Ten Speed Press, $28)
