Written and submitted by Vincent “Vinsect” Brown
(runner up in the 2004 Lip Smackin’ Ribs Recipe Contest at Barbecuebible.com)

This is a Memphis style dry rub recipe. A Kansas City Wet style variation is included. Rosemary is used as a seasoning and a smoke. Woodbridge Chardonnay flavors the ribs from brining all the way through to the sauce.

You’ll Need
6 racks pork ribs (4 to 6 lbs baby back ribs or 6 to 8 lbs spareribs)

Brine
1/2 tablespoon salt

8 ounces Woodbridge Chardonnay
Leaves from 1 stem fresh rosemary (save stem for smoking)
4 ounces cider vinegar
2 quarts water

Makes 1/2 gallon

Rub
1/4 cup coarse deli mustard
1/4 cup apple jelly
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/4 cup hot paprika
1/2 cup Black Pepper
1 teaspoon course ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Smoke
Apple wood
Rosemary Stems

Foil Wrap
aluminum foil
1 onion sliced
1 apple, sliced
leaves from 1 stem fresh rosemary (save stem for smoking)

Mop Sauce and Dipping Sauce
4 ounces cider vinegar
1 onion sliced
10 peppercorns
8 ouncesWoodbridge Chardonnay
6 whole cloves
8 allspice berries
1/4 cup packed, brown sugar
1 clove garlic
Leaves from 1 stem fresh rosemary (save stem for smoking)
8 ounces water

Procedure

1. Remove membrane and soak ribs in brine overnight.

2. Remove ribs and pat dry with a clean towel. Slather Ribs with coarse deli mustard and apple jelly mixture, then apply rub. Refrigerate overnight.

3. Place a pan of water under your ribs. Float a second drip pan on the surface of the water for catching meat drippings and mop sauce to use as a dipping sauce later. This creates a double boiler that will help keep your sauce from scorching. Add onion slices, some brown sugar, a little apple jelly, a garlic clove, and the other spices listed in the recipe to the pan. Whatever evaporates will add a nice perfume to your smoke. Whatever doesn’t evaporate will make a delicious sauce. Stir occasionally whenever your lid is open and check water level underneath.

4. Preheat your grill or smoker as listed below under variations for smokers, charcoal grills, and gas grills. (If space is limited, a rib rack allows you to position your ribs vertically to fit more ribs in the same space. Place the end with more fat on top.)

5. Ideally, you want to keep your temp low enough to use the “3-2-1 method.” Smoke for 3 hours, wrap in foil for 2 hours, then finish in smoker unwrapped for the final hour.

NOTE: Baste with mop sauce every half hour to every hour, or whenever you have to open cover.
I prefer using a pump-up spray bottle for mopping. If the drip pan under the meat is dried out spray some mop sauce in the pan to use as a dipping sauce later. The mop sauce and meat drippings will make a great dipping sauce.

6. After 3 hours of smoking uncovered, wrap ribs in aluminum foil sealed to make airtight pouches. Before sealing pouches, apply more rub and wrap up slices of fresh apples, onions, and fresh rosemary with the ribs. During this step, smoke won’t penetrate the pouch. Ribs may be placed in an oven, or gas grill for this step if you like. Whatever method you use for this step, don’t bother using the apple wood or rosemary stems for smoking. Set temp between 175 and 215 degrees.

7. After 2 hours in foil wraps, check ribs for doneness. Ribs are done when internal meat temp reaches 170 degrees. Doneness will also be evident by bones breaking loose from the meat without falling apart and neighbors dropping by uninvited.

8. Add the juices, apples, onions, and rosemary from the foil pouch to the drip pan. If ribs haven’t quite reached doneness, place ribs back on grill or smoker unwrapped and bring back the apple wood and rosemary stems to the coals. Keep smoking and mopping until ribs are done.

9. Remove ribs and let rest for 5 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle ribs with any remaining rub.

10. Remove drip pan. Depending on personal preference, you may add any remaining mop sauce to make sauce thinner. (I personally like a thin sauce with Memphis-style dry rub ribs.) You may instead want to thicken the sauce with ketchup or mustard, starch or whatever you prefer to make your favorite style of sauce. You may also want to puree in a food processor to sauce the onions, apples, rosemary, and spices.

Serve with Woodbridge Chardonnay.

Kansas City Wet Ribs Variation

While ribs are cooking in the foil pouch, remove drip pan and transfer drippings, spices, and mop sauce mixture to a food processor or blender. Mix in ketchup and brown sugar based on consistency. When opening foil pouch, add the juices, onions, apples, and rosemary to food processor and puree.
Baste ribs with this sauce and return the ribs to the grill or smoker. Keep ‘em wet. As soon as they soak up the sauce, Baste ‘em again.
Repeat until done.

Smokers

Upright water smokers such as the Weber Smokey Mountain…
Set up the double boiler-drip pan as described above before building fire.
Build a fire that gets your cooking chamber close to 215 degrees.

Horizontal Smokers…
Build fire in the offset firebox and position the double boiler-drip pan under whichever spot is closest to 215 degrees.

Charcoal Grills

A Weber kettle grill works great for ribs.
Set up grill for indirect smoking with your coals on one side and your ribs on the other. Place the double boiler-drip pan under the ribs. If space is limited, use a Weber rib rack and place the fattier end of the ribs on top.

Gas Grills

Prepare several smoker pouches ahead of time. Soak apple wood chips in cool water for at least 20 minutes. Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil. Grab a handful of wood chips shaking out excess water. Place wood chips on aluminum foil sheet. Add a few pieces of fresh rosemary stems to chips. Save the stems from the fresh rosemary you’re using elsewhere in the recipe.
Fold aluminum foil into an airtight pouch.
Repeat until you run out of apple wood and rosemary. If you have any leftover, store them in the freezer for future use. Thawing is not necessary.
When ready to use a pouch, poke holes in the top side of the pouch.
Set up grill for indirect heat by lighting only the burner that will be furthest from the ribs. Your foil pouches will go over the burner and under the cooking grate. Usually resting on the “flavorizor” bars.
Place the double boiler-drip pan under where the ribs will go. Preheat the grill to as close to 215 degrees as you can get.