How to Make Outstanding Barbecue Ribs

Like many newlywed wives, I took great pleasure in learning to cook all my husband's favorite foods--right up until he told me he loved ribs. It can be very difficult to learn to prepare a food well if you don't happen to enjoy eating it. That was the case with barbecue ribs and me.

I wasn't willing to give up, though, and began my research in earnest. The first thing I discovered is that not all barbecue ribs are created equal. If you want to make ribs for someone special, the first thing you need to know is how they like their ribs. Is their preference sweet, hot, spicy or mustardy? My husband's description of the perfect rib was sweet, with heat, but not too much heat.

I found that the best way to make a barbecue rib that is sweet with moderate heat is to use a hot dry rub as a dry marinade and a mostly sweet barbecue sauce for the finish. I started by comparing several different recipes to come up with the basic ingredients, and then tweaked them to my husband's personal tastes. The following rub and sauce recipes are my own creations.

Steffani's Special Barbecue Rub

• 1/2 cup black pepper
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 4 teaspoons dry mustard

Mix all ingredients.

Steffani's Sweet Barbecue Sauce

• 2-1/4 cups catsup
• 2-1/4 cups water
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon
• 1-1/4 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using.

The Process

Now you know what to put on the ribs to make them hot and sweet, but the ribs still need to get cooked. If you spend just a few minutes browsing around the internet, you'll discover that there are different schools of thought on this matter. There are parboilers, pre-roasters, slow cookers, and there's me. I'm a steamer! That's right, I said steamer. The reason I've never really cared for ribs is because the ones I had eaten were often dry or flavorless. Why is that? Probably because all the natural juices and flavor had been boiled, roasted, or slow cooked away from the meat.

Here's how I steam ribs. I preheat my grill to medium high for 15 minutes or so. I put a metal loafpan full of water directly on the grate, and I put the ribs (double wrapped in heavy-duty foil) on the bread rack. This way the ribs end up steaming in their own juices in a grill that is extra humid because of the loafpan of water.

Now the exact length of time required to cook the ribs will depend upon the type of ribs you use, and how many you are trying to cook. I almost always opt for boneless country ribs because we like to eat meat much more than we like gnawing bones. I wrap the ribs up 2 per foil packet, and they are usually fully cooked and tender in 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Remember, if your grill is full it always takes longer. After the meat is done, I take the ribs out of the foil packets and put it directly on the grate to add that flame-broiled char and apply the sauce.

The Steps from Start to Finish

• Rub ribs with dry rub the night before and double wrap in heavy-duty foil.
• Remove rib packets from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
• Preheat the grill for 15 minutes.
• Cook rib packets until meat is tender over medium-high indirect heat.
• Remove ribs from foil and brown over medium-high direct heat.
• Apply sauce to the ribs.

Use my Special Barbecue Rub and Sweet Barbecue sauce for sweet ribs with a back-end kick (more rub equals bigger kick). Follow the steaming method to prepare the ribs, and you'll serve juicy, succulunt ribs each and every time. I know they're good; I converted myself into a rib lover!