We talk with lots of grill masters and competition-winning BBQ cooks. They tell us about their days-long process for turning out ribs that land awards. We've culled their techniques into this recipe that takes hours, not days. The method is a combination of slow and low cooking to tenderize the meat and then a quick sear to crisp up the outside and caramelize the sweet sauce. Serve these and feel like a champion!
Ingredients:
2 racks pork baby back ribs
2 oz Sweet Pecan Rub
Kinloch Pecan Oil or All Natural Avocado Oil
Quick Fig BBQ Sauce
Directions:
Cut the racks in half to make them easier to manage. Remove the silvery membrane from the concave (bony) side of the racks of ribs. Rub the racks with Sweet Pecan Rub on both the front and back sides taking care to press the rub so it adheres to the rib. If time allows, cover with foil and refrigerate for 24 hours. If not, just proceed to the next step.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bake, bony side down and tightly covered with foil, 2-3 hours. After 2 hours, check the ribs. The racks should gently bend when you pick them up with tongs but not fall apart. You should see that the meat wants to pull away from the bone. If you don't see that, cover and continue baking, checking after 30 minutes. When done, remove from the pan and discard the liquid. Place the ribs on a rack over a baking sheet. Allow the ribs to cool and dry for a few minutes. Brush with the Quick Fig BBQ Sauce.
Heat grill to moderate-high heat. If possible, create a hot zone and warm zone. Brush the grill grates with Pecan Oil or Avocado Oil (either is a good choice for high heat cooking.) Grill the ribs, bony side up until you see distinct grill marks and smell the sugars in the BBQ sauce starting to caramelize (not burn). Turn bony side down to the cooler side of the grill. This will give you time to give the top a 2nd brushing with the Quick Fig BBQ Sauce again. Then turn the ribs onto the hot zone once more allowing the 2nd brushing of sauce to heat through and caramelize a bit. You want browned, crispy bits here and there. But you don't want a charred, burned surface.
Remove the ribs and cut into portions. Serve with a side of the Quick Fig BBQ Sauce for dipping.