The ribs turned out great - even for being my first time doing ribs. I would make a few adjustments to the sauce recipe though - both the cayenne and the celery seed were overwhelming. I would have adjusted the cayenne and celery seed to 1 tsp instead of 1 1/2. Also, I added two more tbs of brown sugar, and then brought the sauce to a slight simmer to cut the ketchup taste. Before simmering, the sauce just tasted like seasoned ketchup, not like a barbecue sauce. Also, be sure thoroughly dry your ribs before rubbing and set your ribs on a rack while you are letting the rub set. Otherwise, the moisture from the meat will seep out and turn the rub underneath the slab into a gooey paste.
Kansas City-Style Spareribs with Barbecue Sauce
At Smokestack in Kansas City, spare-ribs, a particularly flavorful cut, are served with a sweet and spicy sauce. This recipe first appeared in our June/July 2011 BBQ issue along with Brooke Kroeger's story Ribs And Ritual.
Enlarge Image
Credit: Todd Coleman
SERVES 4–6
FOR THE RUB:
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup paprika
3 tbsp. ground black pepper
3 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cayenne
2 racks St. Louis-cut pork spareribs (about 3 lb. each; see Barbecue 101 »)
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 cups ketchup
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1½ tsp. cayenne
1½ tsp. celery seeds
1½ tsp. garlic powder
1½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice
1. Make the rub: Mix sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, chili, garlic, and onion powders, and cayenne in a bowl. Rub onto ribs. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, salt, celery, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, and lemon juice; set aside.
3. Prepare your grill using the kettle grill, bullet smoker, or gas grill method, (see links for instructions) using oak wood chunks or chips (see Fuel and Flavor). Place ribs, meat side up, on grill grate. Maintaining a temperature of 225°-250° (if using a kettle grill or bullet smoker, replenish fire with unlit coals, as needed, to maintain temperature; see instructions), cook, turning once and basting with sauce the last 45 minutes of cooking, until the tip of a small knife slips easily in and out of the meat, 2–4 hours. Serve with remaining sauce.
Ratings & Reviews (5)
Loved the rub and rib grilling method but found the sauce to be very unbalanced in flavor. Celery and cumin seemed out of place or at least far too high in quantity. I did follow advice of previous reviewer to simmer the sauce for a bit to take the raw edge off. Also good advice to rest the ribs with the rub on a wire rack. As is often the case the quantity of rub was excessive, so will make again with a different sauce.
Used some of the leftover rub and the rest of the sauce on a grilled pork tenderloin. It was even better than the ribs!!
Of the many pork ribs recipes I've done from saveur, this vies for the top.
I love this sauce. Just simmered it a few minutes. It tastes almost exactly like Gates sauce, my favorite Kansas City sauce. It also has the strong celery seed and cumin flavors.
Kansas City-Style Spareribs with Barbecue Sauce
4
5
5
5
