Memphis-Style Ribs Recipe

Memphis-Style Ribs Recipe

Recipe courtesy of Al Roker

• Level: Intermediate
• Yield: 6 servings
• Total: 22 hr 30 min
• Prep: 30 min
• Inactive: 18 hr
• Cook: 4 hr

Ingredients

• 6 pounds spare ribs
• 1 3/4 cups cider vinegar
• 1 3/4 cups apple cider
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 cup BBQ Rub, recipe follows
• 3 cups wood chips
• Vinegar Sauce, recipe follows, optional

BBQ Rub

Excerpted from "Al Roker's Big Bad Book of Barbeque" Scribners 2002. Copyright 2002.

• 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt, such as kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Vinegar Sauce

• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions

1. Trim the ribs if needed: Lay meat-side up, remove fat strip and rib tips. Flip rib-side up, remove flap and tough membrane using a knife and paper towel for grip. This ensures maximum flavor penetration.
2. Marinate: Combine 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 cup cider, garlic, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, and salt in a shallow pan. Add ribs, coat, cover, and refrigerate 8-16 hours, turning once.
3. Prep for grilling: Remove ribs 2 hours early, pat dry, apply 1/2 cup rub, refrigerate 1 1/2 hours, then rest at room temp 30 minutes.
4. Basting mix: Combine remaining 3/4 cup each vinegar and cider with 1 tablespoon hot sauce for spraying during cooking.
5. Soak 3 cups wood chips (hickory, oak, or apple) in water for 30 minutes.
6. Fire up: Charcoal or gas grill for low indirect heat. Add drained chips.
7. Grill covered 3-4 hours until crispy and pulled back from bones. Baste hourly, flip once, add chips/coals as needed.
8. Rest if early: Wrap in foil over low indirect heat up to 1 hour.
9. Serve: Baste with remaining liquid, sprinkle 1/4 cup rub. Enjoy plain or with Vinegar Sauce.

BBQ Rub Directions

Combine all in airtight container. Stores months at room temp. Yield: ~1 cup for 8 lbs ribs.

Vinegar Sauce Directions

Whisk ingredients. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 1 week. Yield: ~2 1/2 cups.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Fire up your grill and master these fall-off-the-bone Memphis-Style RibsAl Roker's smoky, spice-rubbed perfection that'll have everyone licking their fingers and begging for more!