Go to your local deli or butcher shop and ask for St. Louis-style ribs. They tend to have a little more fat, so it's very important that they get boiled for the right amount of time, but the meat is very tender and much tastier. If you cannot find them, then babyback ribs are okay too.
First, the dry rub. This is the most important step. It's similar to almost all texas-style recipes, but it's got a little of that St. Louis-style zing to it. This covers 4 slabs with ease. It will do up to 6 slabs. Be sure to bottle any leftovers in an air-tight bottle.
1 tbsp fresh-ground black pepper
1 tbsp ground white pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp chili powder
4 tbsp paprika: Make sure you get rid of the big clumps!
1 tsp mustard flour (note teaspoon, not tablespoon)
1 tbsp celery seeds (NOT celery salt)
1 tbsp cumin (whole, not ground)
1 tbsp granulated garlic (NOT garlic salt)
1 tbsp granulated onion (NOT onion salt. Don't forget to get rid of the big clumps!)
1 tbsp fresh-ground oregano.
Prepping:
Boil the ribs for 30 minutes the night before you barbecue.
Cut the slabs into groups of 4 ribs.
When finished boiling, apply the dry rub and rub it into the meat really well with your hands.
Individually wrap the meat as tightly as possible in saran wrap.
Let it sit overnight in the fridge.
Grilling:
The next day, put a few coals on one side of the bbq pit, and a drip pan on the other side. For the drip pan, I usually get a cheapy aluminum pan from the grocery store and cut it with scissors to mold to the shape of the bbq pit. This is important because the juices will make the fire too hot.
Light only the middle coals, it will slowly spread to those on the outside. This will make a fairly "cold" fire.
Put the meat on the same side as the drip pan and close the bbq pit, with the "meat" side down and the bones facing up. Cover the bbq pit, but don't open it unless you have to, otherwise the fire will get too warm. It also helps to close the bottom vents a little and to keep the top vents closed entirely.
After 2 hours, turn the ribs.
After another 15 - 20 minutes, turn them again and apply your BBQ sauce, then cover back up.
A note about BBQ sauces. I use Maull's sweet & smoky, but I think that's only available in St. Louis. It's best to use a smoky BBQ sauce, but one that is very thin. If you insist on using something like KC masterpiece, you should dillute it with water and lemon juice.
After 5 minutes, take them off and put them in a pan full of bbq sauce. Put them in the oven on 175 for 2 hours. It is very important that you only leave them on the BBQ pit for 5 minutes once the sauce has been applied. If you leave them on too long, the tomatoes and sugars in the sauce will burn.
Inspiration
