Mustard With Mutton

There are many different schools of thought regarding ribs and the arguments about which method produces the best ribs can get very heated.  There are dry rubs, wet marinades, smoking, mopping – it can all get a bit confusing so when I decided to make some ribs for dinner my head was reeling with information overload.  I finally decided to ignore it all and use a combination of all the different methods.  Whilst I wanted to barbecue my ribs I didn’t have the time or inclination to cook them on the grill and smoke them for 5 or 6 hours, but I still wanted my ribs to have that falling off the bone succulence from long slow cooking.  So after massaging my ribs with a dry rub and leaving them to infuse overnight, I cooked them in the oven covered with foil for a couple of hours and then finished them off on the grill, mopping them at this stage with a homemade smoky barbecue sauce.  My husband declared these the best ribs he’s ever had and I’d have to agree.  Whilst they need a bit of time with all the marinading and pre-cooking they’re actually very easy and worth every minute spent in preparation.  I highly recommend you serve these ribs with this white coleslaw – it’s a heavenly combination!

Ingredients – Serves 2

1kg rack of meaty pork ribs (baby back ribs) – I cut this into 2 sections to make them easier to handle
White vinegar

Dry Rub
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoons salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Smoky Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 cup tomato ketchup – I use Heinz Organic
1/3 cup water
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chilli powder
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
A few drops of liquid smoke
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Mix all the dry rubs ingredients together and massage into the pork ribs.  Place into a dish, cover and refrigerate overnight if possible but 2 hours would also work.

Preheat oven to 160C.  Place the ribs on a rack on top of a foil lined baking sheet and add enough white vinegar to cover the base of the pan without touching the ribs.  Cover tightly with foil and bake in the oven for 2 hours.

Whilst the ribs are coking prepare the barbecue sauce. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature.

Once the ribs have finished cooking remove them from the pan, they’ll be very tender at this stage so handle them gently.

When you’re ready to eat heat the grill and baste the ribs with the barbecue sauce.  Place them on the grill and cook, turning every few minutes, basting them each time they’re turned until the ribs have coloured – they’re already cooked through you just want to infuse them with the flame of the grill and char them a little.  Eat straight away and serve any remaining barbecue sauce on the side along with some coleslaw.