Tips:
- Use roasting pan and rack for holiday turkeys.
- Keep the meat from directly touching the chips.
- Seal the foil tightly to allow full flavor penetration.
OVEN SMOKED RIBS
Follow these simple steps to having a successful barbecue regardless of silly little details like weather or access to a grill.
First thing's first: Make your rub. I like to use a brown sugar based rub that has a smoky kick to it. Most of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry. If not, they can all be found in any supermarket. Pork Rib Dry Rub Ingredients:
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1½ teaspoons cayenne (you can use less if you want less heat)
- 2 teaspoons salt
Directions:
- Using whisk or fork, mix everything together in a large bowl and store in an airtight container until ready to use.
*If stored properly, the rub will keep for up to a month.
Making the smoker:
Channel your inner MacGyver here and have some fun. I used the roasting pan and rack that is normally reserved for holiday turkeys, but you can use anything that fits in your oven. The main thing we are going for is a setup that will keep the meat from directly touching the chips and is perforated so the smoke can easily come through and flavor the items being smoked. The other very important tip is to get a nice tight seal on your foil to allow for full flavor penetration.
- Turn your broiler on to high and turn on the exhaust fan if you have one.
- Line the bottom of a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Spread an even layer of the chips along the bottom of the pan.
- Place the pan under the broiler about 6 inches from the flame.
- Let the chips develop a nice char on them, but be careful not to ignite them.
- Carefully remove them from the oven and set aside. Add 1 cup of water to the pan and give the chips a toss with your hands.
Baby Back Ribs
All the heavy lifting is over. Now comes the fun (and easy) part.
Ingredients:
- 2 racks of baby back ribs, each weighing about 3 pounds. Trim off the sinew flap on the back (if you don't know what this is, ask your butcher to remove it.)
- Pork Rub
- 1 bag of hickory smoking wood chips
- 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce. I prefer Stubb's.
Directions:
- Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 250° F.
- Rub a generous amount of the pork rub over both sides of the ribs, making sure to pat it down with your hands to make a "crust." (You can do this the night before if you really want the rub to penetrate the meat, just make sure to wrap them well in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge.)
- Set your roasting rack atop the wood chips and then place your rib racks on top of that. (If they overlap slightly, that's okay.)
- Wrap tightly in aluminum foil, making sure that no air will escape.
- Place the rack on your stovetop burner and crank it to a high flame.
- When you start to see a slight bit of smoke escaping, carefully slip the ribs into the oven. (The pan will be very hot, so use the appropriate towels or oven mitts.)
- Cook for 1 hour and 45 minutes. (Yes, that's it.)
- Gently remove from the oven and carefully peel back your foil tent to let the steam and smoke escape.
- Using tongs, remove the ribs from the rack and set onto a baking sheet.
- Crank the broiler back to high.
- Slather the ribs with your favorite sauce.
- Put the sheet tray in the oven about 6 inches below the broiler.
- Broil the ribs until the sauce becomes bubbly and starts to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
- Rest 5 minutes, add another slathering of your favorite sauce, and enjoy immediately.
Dean's Super Easy BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 cups ketchup
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Lea Perrin's
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced to a fine paste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and continue simmering for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place in an airtight container. Keeps refrigerated for up to one week.
For more with celebrity chef Dean Sheremet, please visit
Deansheremet.com.
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