MEMPHIS-STYLE RIBS

INGREDIENTS 

1. Grilling Method

• Indirect grilling

1. Advance preparation

• 4 to 8 hours for marinating the ribs

1. Special equipment

• 1 1/2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory), soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained

1. For the ribs and rub

• 3 racks baby back pork ribs (about 7 pounds), or 2 racks pork spareribs (6 to 8 pounds total)
• 1/4 cup sweet paprika
• 4 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1. For the mop sauce 

• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup yellow (ballpark) mustard
• 2 teaspoons salt
  

PROCEDURES 

• ribs and rub procedures: 
• Remove the thin, papery skin from the back of each rack of ribs by pulling it off in a sheet with your fingers, using the corner of a kitchen towel to gain a secure grip, or with pliers.
• Combine the paprika, black pepper, brown sugar, salt, celery salt, cayenne, garlic powder, dry mustard, and cumin in a small bowl and whisk to mix. 
• Rub two thirds of this mixture over the ribs on both sides, then transfer the ribs to a roasting pan. Cover and let cure, in the refrigerator, for 4 to 8 hours.
• Prepare the mop sauce (if using): Mix together the cider vinegar, mustard, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
•  Set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a large drip pan in the center.

N.B

• If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium.

• If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium.

• Time to cook, since we are using a charcoal grill, we toss the wood chips on the coals. 
• Haven done that, we Brush and oil the grill grate. 
• Arrange the ribs on the hot grate over the drip pan. 
• Cover the grill and smoke cook the ribs for 1 hour.
• When the ribs have cooked for an hour, uncover the grill and brush the ribs with the mop sauce. 
• Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs until tender and almost done, 1/4 to 1/2 hour longer for baby back ribs, 1/2 to 1 hour longer for spareribs. 
• The ribs are done when the meat is very tender and has shrunk back from the ends of the bones. 
• Since we are using a charcoal grill, you'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side after 1 hour.
•  Fifteen minutes before the ribs are done, season them with the remaining rub, sprinkling it on.
• To serve, we cut the racks in half or, for a plate-burying effect, then we leave them as a whole.
  
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