Cider-Brined Spareribs With Maple Pepper BBQ Sauce

Cider-Brined Spareribs with 

Maple Pepper BBQ Sauce

This is an easy method for low-and-slow spareribs when you don’t feel like firing up the smoker or grill. Brining keeps the ribs moist and juicy, plus apples are such a natural partner with pork. A bold spice rub adds more layers of flavour, and quick BBQ sauce brings sweet, sour and peppery heat.

Ingredients:

Brine
8 cups (2 L) non-alcoholic apple cider
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
1 tbsp (15 mL) whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup (125 mL) kosher salt or 6 tbsp (90 mL) fine sea salt

Spice Rub and Ribs

1 tbsp (15 mL) sweet paprika
2 tsp (10 mL) dry mustard
2 tsp (10 mL) onion powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground black pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
1/2 tsp (2 mL) chili powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground sage
2 racks spareribs (St. Louis cut), about 2 lbs (905 g) each

BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup (125 mL) ketchup
2 tbsp (30 mL) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup
2 tsp (10 mL) yellow mustard
2 tsp (10 mL) ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp (1 mL) garlic powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) onion powder

Directions:
 For the brine, place cider, bay leaf, rosemary, garlic, peppercorns and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and stir until salt is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain into an airtight container. (Brine can be refrigerated up to 2 days.)

For the spice rub, combine spices in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Transfer to airtight container. (Spice rub can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.)

To brine ribs, place rib racks in a large roasting pan and add brine. Cover and place in refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours. Do not brine any longer or ribs will get too salty.

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).

Remove ribs from brine, rinse lightly, and pat dry with paper towel. Season ribs all over with spice rub. Place ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook on middle rack until fork-tender, about 2 hours.

While ribs are cooking, make BBQ sauce. In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until combined. Set aside.

Remove ribs from oven and raise heat to 450°F (232°C). Brush ribs generously with BBQ sauce. When oven reaches temperature, return ribs to oven, and cook until sauce is set and brown, about 5 minutes. Remove ribs from oven and brush once more with sauce. Rest for 5 minutes then cut into individual ribs. Serve immediately with remaining BBQ sauce on side.  Serves 4 to 6

Slow Cooker Ribs

 

Here’s how to make Slow Cooker Ribs: 

Ingredients:

2 cups bbq sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar 
4 Tbsp. of cider vinegar
3 tsp of oregano
1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. of cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. of chili powder
3 lbs of baby back pork ribs
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Combine bbq sauce, brown sugar, cider vinegar, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and chili powder in a small bowl.

Salt and pepper the ribs. Place ribs in slow cooker, and cover in sauce. Cook low and slow for eight hours or high for four hours.

After the ribs are done, spoon the bbq sauce in the slow cooker over the ribs before removing. Cut the ribs, serve with bbq sauce.

Pork Spare Ribs

Pork Spare Ribs

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients
2 racks pork spare ribs
barbeque sauce, your preference
1 cup beer
Dry Rub:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste
 
Directions
Preheat oven to 250º F.

In a small bowl, combine dry rub ingredients
Prepare spare ribs by trimming the membrane (back of ribs) and tough meat (across the top), and discarding those pieces.

Dividing the dry rub in half, equal amounts for both racks, rub the spices on the tops and bottoms of the ribs.

On a baking tray and taking 8 pieces of aluminum foil, you’re going to create pockets for the racks to cook in, meaty side up. 2 pieces of foil on the bottom, 2 pieces on the top, for each rack.

In a medium bowl, whisk together beer and barbeque sauce of your choosing.

Begin carefully sealing your foil packets. Before you seal the final edge, pour 1/2 of beer mixture into each packet.

Bake ribs for 4 hours. Remove from oven and carefully open your packets and drain the sauce/drippings into a saucepan. Simmer on low heat and let thicken.

Brush ribs with sauce and place back in oven, uncovered, under broiler, for 5-7 minutes.

Grilled Spare Ribs

Grilled Spare Ribs

Remove the membrane from the underside by making a slit along the top of a rib bone and with the tip of a sharp knife lift an edge.  Pull to remove membrane.  Place in a pot of water and bring meat to 195 F degrees.  Be careful not to boil.

Place meat on a tray and glaze with marinade bone side first and meat side next:

Marinade:  

2/3 cup lime juice, fresh

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Stir ingredients until well mixed.  Keep 1/3 of marinade to be used passing at the table

Move ribs to grill, place meat side down.  When you have nice grill marks, brush with marinade and flip and brush top with marinade again.  When the ribs are done, remove to tray, apply another coat of the marinade.  Tent with foil for ten minutes.  Cut to seperate the ribs and serve. 

Asian Pork Ribs With Hoisin, Sriracha and Honey Glaze

ASIAN PORK RIBS WITH HOISIN, 

SRIRACHA AND HONEY GLAZE

This is another recipe I received from my favorite instructor at Great News Cooking School, Phillis Carey.  Any recipe she offers is always a hit.

I have a slab of ribs in my freezer and will try recipe.

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Ingredients:
3 slabs baby-back ribs 
1 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 T. minced garlic
3 T. minced ginger
2 T. Asian hot sauce (Sriracha)
1 T. Asian sesame oil
1/3 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil 
1/2 cup minced green onion tops

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Directions:

1. Cut ribs between the bones into individual ribs. In a large bowl, large enough to hold all the ribs and the marinade, combine the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and sesame oil. Remove 3/4 cup; cover and refrigerate. Stir oil into remaining sauce and add the ribs, tossing to coat well. Cover and refrigerate ribs for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

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2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill the bottoms of a broiler pan or two half full of water. (Or you can place an oiled rack in a baking sheet or roasting pan and pour water in the bottom.) Oil the top rack and set on pan. Remove ribs from marinade, reserving any remaining marinade, and arrange on the pan; roast for 30 minutes, brush with any remaining marinade and turn ribs over. Roast another 30 minutes and brush with half the reserved refrigerated marinade and roast for 30 to 45 minutes longer or until tender and well browned.

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3. Remove ribs to a serving platter and drizzle with remaining reserved sauce and sprinkle with green onion tops.  Serves 8