Memphis-Style Dry Ribs
This Memphis-Style Dry Ribs recipe is inspired by old-school Memphis BBQ, which means you finish the cooking with a rub to dust the rack instead of starting with it. The ribs are basted with a mop sauce during cooking to build flavour and using a barbecue “mop” you are able to pick up more flavour elements to dab onto the meat. Try it on other delicious Ontario pork cuts too!
Servings: 3
Calories: 610kcal
Ingredients
- 1 rack Ontario pork back or side ribs (about 1.5 lb/750 g)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (15 mL)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (125 mL)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar (125 mL)
- ¼ cup yellow mustard (60 mL)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or two lemon slices (30 mL)
- 2 tbsp Worchestershire sauce (30 mL)
- 1 cup water (60 mL)
Dry Rub
- ¼ cup brown sugar (60 mL)
- ¼ cup paprika (60 mL)
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (15 mL)
- 1 tbsp coarse black pepper (15 mL)
- 1 tbsp granulated garlic powder (15 mL)
- 1 tbsp chili powder (15 mL)
- 1 tsp mustard powder (5 mL)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (5 mL)
- 1 tsp red chili flakes (5 mL)
- 1 tsp cayenne powder (5 mL)
Instructions
- Remove silver skin from back of ribs and pat dry. Rub ribs on both sides with kosher salt. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate for about 1-1.5 hours until salt dissolves into meat.
- Mop Sauce: Meanwhile, in a saucepan whisk together oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, lemon juice or slices, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes (sauce should still be thin). Set aside and keep warm.
- Finishing Rub: In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder, chili powder, cayenne powder, cumin and red chili flakes; set aside.
- Preheat smoker, grill or oven to 225ºF (107ºC). Place ribs, bone side down over indirect heat and let them cook for 2 hours trying to keep the smoker or grill temperature around 225ºF (107ºC).
- At the 2 hour mark, give the ribs a mop with the mop sauce. The best technique is to dab the juices into the meat, and then give it a coat of sauce in a painting motion. Let them cook for 1 hour.
- At the 3 hour mark, give it another mop and then flip the ribs so the meat side is facing down, and bones are up. Give the bones a mop and let cook for another hour.
- At the 4 hour mark, give it another mop and flip it once again, giving the meat side a mop. Bump the temperature up 25°F. It will now be 250°/275°F (121°C/135°C). Let the ribs cook for a half hour.
- Once the ribs have been cooking for 4.5 hours, give them a check for tenderness and temperature with a probe thermometer. The internal temperature should read around 205°F (96°C), and you should be able to poke into the meat with ease, like butter! If needed, let them go for a little longer. Otherwise, if they’re ready, pull them off the heat.
- Hit the top of the ribs with some more mop sauce and wrap them up in tin foil. Let the ribs sit for 30 minutes to allow the juices to be absorbed into the meat. Once rested, hit the top of the ribs with a good coating of the finishing rub before slicing.
Notes
Tip: Have the rack of ribs bone side up for easier cutting. This is so you can see where bones are when cutting into individual ribs.