There are ordinary smoked ribs and then there are extraordinary smoked ribs! Today we're firing up the grill for some of the best ribs you'll ever have, aka "Ribs that make you go Mmmmm"!
HONEY AND SOY GLAZED RIBS
Ingredients
2 slabs of St. Louis cut spare ribs
¼ cup yellow mustard
¼ cup apple juice
Dry rub for ribs (recipe follows)
Honey-soy rib glaze (recipe follows)
Instructions
Preheat smoker to 225 degrees. Once the charcoal has ashed over, add 3-4 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to ensure a deep smoky flavor. If using a kettle style grill, prepare the grill for indirect cooking, placing an aluminum pan filled with water in the center of the grill and placing the heated coals on either side of the pan. As the smoker or grill comes to temperature, place ribs meat side down on a cutting board and use a butter knife to separate the membrane from the meat in one corner and pull the membrane off the rack using a dry paper towel.
Coat both racks of ribs with yellow mustard and coat them with the dry rub seasoning. Place the ribs on the smoker (or directly above the aluminum pan if using a grill) bone side down, cover and allow them to smoke for approximately 4 hours until the meat has begun to pull back from the bone. Remove the racks of ribs from the smoker and lay on a double sheet of tinfoil. Pour half of the apple juice over each rack and wrap the foil around the ribs.
Place the ribs back on to the smoker for an additional hour until they bend at a 45 degree angle when held on one end with a set of tongs. Remove the racks from the foil, and place them on the smoker meat side down. Brush the bone-side of the ribs with the honey-soy glaze and allow it to set for 2-3 minutes. Brush the rack again with the honey-soy glaze and allow them to cook another 2-3 minutes. Flip the ribs over meat side up, brush with honey-soy glaze and allow it to set for 2-3 minutes. Brush the ribs twice more with the honey-soy glaze, allowing it to set between each brushing. Remove the ribs from the smoker, slice, and serve.
DRY RUB FOR RIBS
Ingredients
½ cup Brownulated® brown sugar (available in the baking section of local grocers)
¼ cup smoked paprika
¼ cup Kosher salt
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground thyme
Instructions
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and set the dry rub seasoning aside until ready to use.
HONEY AND SOY GLAZE
Ingredients
2 cups of your favorite BBQ sauce
¼ cup honey
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. ground ginger
Instructions
Prepare grill for medium heat cooking. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Place saucepan on the grill and allow the mixture to simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced and coats the back of a spoon. Set the sauce aside until ready to use.