Categories: Pork - main dish
Ingredients
- The ribs
- 2 racks (2 to 2 1/2 lbs. each) St. Louis-style pork ribs
- 2 Tbsp. packed light-brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. coarse salt
- 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 2 tsp. hot paprika
- 2 tsp. mustard powder
- 1 tsp. celery seed
- The Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp. red-pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1 cup strained tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
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Prepare the ribs:
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Place one rib rack, meat side down, on a work surface. With a knife, cut a small slit through the silvery membrane, gently peel it from the rack and discard. Repeat with remaining racks.
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Make the rub:
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Combine sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, mustard powder and celery seed in a bowl. (if mixture is clumpy, pass through a medium sieve.) Rub mixture on both sides of each rack. Place ribs on a rimmed baking sheet; cover and refrigerate for at least two hours (or overnight). Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
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Make the sauce:
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Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cool until onion is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Add red pepper flakes and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in bourbon, scraping the pan. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, water and sugar and cook, continuing to stir, until sugar dissolves.
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Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
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Fold a paper towel into a thick rectangle, and dip it in oil. Hold towel with tongs, and brush oil on top of grill rack. Place both rib racks, bone side down, on top grill rack, directly over
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pan. Cover, keeping top grill vents half way open and bottom vents completely open to maintain grill temperature of 275 to 325 degrees.
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Cook ribs, without turning, until the meat is tender but not falling off bones, and has shrunk 1/2 inch from ends, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, adding eight briquettes to each charcoal pile every hour.
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Transfer 1 cup sauce to a small serving bowl. Brush both sides of ribs with remaining 1 cup sauce. Cover, and grill until ribs are glistening and deep mahogany brown, about 15 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.