Slow-cooked Ribs, the JMF way!

I can’t remember if I’ve written about the fact that I’m trying to eat fewer mammals. I don’t think I could ever go full vegetarian, but cutting down on the number of mammals I eat seemed like a good step in the right direction. I think we as a society eat far more meat than we need to, anyway.

But, every once in a while, my inner-Texan kicks in and demands that I make ribs. Oh dear Lord how I love ribs! I would never even consider making them at home if I still lived in Texas because never in my wildest dreams could I make ribs that could hold a candle to Railhead Smokehouse.

Still, when in Virginia, I can make a kick-ass rack of ribs when I put my mind to it, which I do about twice a year. Here’s how I make falling-off-the-bone tender ribs:

Start with enough ribs to feed your family with lots of leftovers. I like all kinds of ribs. Beef. Pork. Babyback. I’m not a huge fan of “country style” ribs because I think they are way more difficult to handle than ribs in racks, but this method will work for them too.

You’ll also need a bar-b-que rub. I love the bar-b-que rub from Pendry’s, my favorite, hometown spice store. PenZEY’S Bar-b-que rub is very different but also great. Or you can easily make your own.

Rinse your ribs and pat dry. Lay out two or three sheet of aluminum foil on your countertop (about as long as your arm), overlapping them slightly. Put your ribs on the foil, bone side up, and cover the racks with a generous amount of your rub.

This is what I mean by generous. Use your hands to really rub the spice blend into the meat, making sure to cover every inch of the ribs, including the bone. Flip the racks over and repeat on the other side.

Fold the foil over the ribs and wrap it like a burrito. Refrigerate overnight or for at least a couple of hours.

Five hours before you want to eat, take the ribs out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature for about an hour. Preheat your oven to 300 degree. Place the foil packet of ribs on a sheet plan and cook at 300 for about 3 hours. After three hours or so, remove the ribs from the oven and test for doneness, either by inserting a meat thermometer (165 degrees in the magic number) or by cutting between two ribs with a sharp nice and checking for doneness visually.

Preheat your grill (done this early if you’re using charcoal) on high for 15 minutes, then turn the gas down to low. (For charcoal grills, you’ll want to use the indirect heat method here.) Grill the ribs with the cover closed for 5 or 6 minutes on each side, just long enough to get grill marks and pick up a little smokiness.

Voila! Tender, juicy ribs. I cut the ribs and serve with sauce on the side. This is my favorite commercially available bar-b-que sauce that I use when I’m too lazy to make my own. It does have high fructose corn syrup as the first ingredient, but so does almost every other grocery store bar-b-que sauce, and this one tastes the best. Plus, I only use a couple of tablespoons anyway.

Serve with grilled corn on the cobs, roasted potatoes and cowboy beans. Or with nothing- they’re so good no one will complain.