Page 13 - The Wave Holistic and Metaphysical Journal July/Aug 2016

Directions
TO PREPARE RIBS
Rib racks have a membrane on the underside which should be removed. This allows for ribs to turn out extra tender and “fall of the bone” good. On the underside of the rib rack, run a small sharp knife under the membrane to pry up an edge of the membrane. Grab the edge and peel it off the rack. Its OK if you can’t get it all off. Just get as much of the membrane off as you can.
TO BRINE THE RIBS
1. Dissolve salt and sugar in 4 quarts of cold water in a stock pot or large plastic container. Submerge the ribs in brine and refrigerate 1 hour. (If meat has been injected with a “solution”, reduce brine ingredients by half.)
2. Remove the ribs from the brine and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels.
3. While the ribs are brining, cover two 3 inch wood chunks with water in a medium bowl. Soak the wood
chunks for 1 hour, then drain and set aside.
4. Combine the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. When the ribs are out of the brine and dried, rub each
side of the racks with 1 tablespoon spice rub. Refrigerate racks 30 minutes.
TO COOK RIBS
1. Open the bottom vents on the grill. Using a charcoal chimney, ignite about 4 1/2 quarts of charcoal briquettes (3/4 large chimney-full, or about 65 briquettes) and burn until they are covered with a thin coating of light gray ash, about 20 minutes.
2. Empty coals onto one half of grill bottom, piling them 2 to 3 briquettes high.
3. Place the soaked wood chunks on top of the coals. Position the cooking grate over the coals, close grill lid, open the lid vents two-thirds of the way and heat the grate for 5 minutes, then scrape the grate clean with a wire brush.
4. Arrange the ribs on cool the side of the grill parallel to the fire. Close the grill lid, positioning lid, if possible, so that the vents are opposite the wood chunks to draw smoke through the grill, (grill temperature should register 350 degrees on a grill thermometer, but will soon start dropping).
5. Cook for 2 hours, until the grill temperature drops to about 260 degrees, flipping rib racks, and switching their position so that the rack that was nearest the fire is on the outside, and turning the racks 180 degrees every 30- minutes.
6. Add 10 fresh briquettes and continue to cook, flipping, switching and rotating the ribs every 30 minutes, until meat easily pulls away from the bone with a fork, 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer.
7. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board. Then cut between the bones to separate the ribs and serve.
GAS GRILL METHOD
To cook over a gas grill, prepare and brine ribs as directed. Place wood chunks under grate between heating bars, and turn grill to lowest setting. Grill ribs 30 minutes, turn and grill another 30 minutes. Then place ribs in a large pan and cover with foil. Cook in a 225 degree oven 1 to 2 hours, until ribs are tender and are easily removed from bone with a fork.
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