The Ultimate BBQ Ribs: A confession of truth
For JEL who forced me to admit that sometimes I don't follow my own recipes I need to clarify. I don't intentionally do it. I'm not trying to keep it a top secret. But sometimes I adapt as I go along. Sometimes the recipe I write on my blog is not the one that I am currently using. It's hard being a food blogger and at the same time have a lot of friends for whom I enjoy cooking. Most friends know to ask me, "Is this on the blog?" and I usually can reply, "Yes" or "Not yet, but it will be." But sometimes the recipe on the blog is not EXACTLY what I am doing anymore, because sometimes I am trying something different or changing things up.
After I made these ribs on a recent occasion, JEL who is best friend and most frequent eater of my food commented, "I don't think these are the same ribs that are on your blog. These taste different."
I gave her a stare and said, "Of course these are the same. They are the ones I always make."
"No they aren't. Something is different. Mine didn't come out like THIS!." Meanwhile, her son is shoving a rib in his mouth and wiping his tonsils with the bone. "What time did you put them in the oven?"
I gave it a momentary thought. "They've been in there since 3:30ish I think. So about 3 hours."
She said victoriously, "SEE! That is NOT how you have it on the blog."
And then I realized - she was right. I had started out with Tyler Florence's Ultimate BBQ Ribs recipe, but I've changed things up to make it easier and tastier, and so the ribs that are on my previous blog posting are not really what I make anymore. I DID make them that way, but it's just changed a bit.
In order to keep things truthful, I'm re-posting my version of Tyler Florence's Ribs - which is essentially the same but a change of cooking times and some technique in the sauce. I love this one and daughters can't get enough of this one either. This is a great one for a party at your home because you can make the sauce ahead of time and just let the oven do the work (3 hours of baking while you do something else.) You won't regret making these.
Finally, I'll finish my confession and make things right. If you were a visitor to my house in recent months and had ribs, THESE ARE the ones you've had. Promise. It's hard being honest when you're a food blogger.
The Ultimate Barbecued Baby Back Ribs (adapted from Tyler Florence)
2 slabs baby back ribs (about 3 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 bacon slices
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 onion
3 smashed garlic cloves
2 cups ketchup
1 cup peach preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or 1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground paprikaSpecial equipment: Kitchen twine
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Put the ribs on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Stick them in the oven, and let the ribs bake, low and slow for 3 hours.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat a 2-count of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and bacon and cook slowly for 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly, without coloring, for 5 minutes. Add all of the rest of the sauce ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. With a hand blender, puree the sauce (all the bacon, onions, garlic, thyme all chopped up.) Put some sauce in a separate bowl for basting, reserving the remaining sauce for serving.
Baste the ribs with the sauce and let them continue cooking, basting twice more, for 30 more minutes. When the ribs are cooked, take them out of the oven. You can let them hang out like this until you're ready to eat.
When ready to eat, preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and broil the ribs, basting with the sauce. They should become crisp and charred, about 5 minutes on each side.
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