Fourth of July Ribs!

Now that you’ve learned to make Mozzarella Kebabs it’s time for the main course! And what says Fourth of July better than some good ol’ BBQ Baby Back Ribs? Try out this mouthwatering recipe from Steven Raichlen’s Man Made Meals and give your party guests and taste buds a treat.

Baby Back Ribs with Cider Rum Barbecue Sauce

From Man Made Meals, by: Steven Raichlen

These ribs sound an apple theme—you smoke them with apple wood chips and serve them with a made-from-scratch cider rum barbecue sauce.

Ingredients (makes 2 racks of ribs;serves 4):

2 racks baby back pork ribs (4 to 5 pounds total)

6 tablespoons Raichlen’s Rub #1 or your favorite barbecue rub

1 cup apple cider in a spray bottle

Cider Rum Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows) or your favorite barbeque sauce

You’ll also need: 1 ½ cups hardwood chips or chunks, preferably apple or hickory, soaked in water to cover for 30 minutes, then drained

Directions:

1. Set up the grill for indirect grilling, place a large aluminum foil drip pan in the center of the grill under the grate, and preheat the grill to medium (325 F).
2. Place a rack of ribs meat side down on a baking sheet. Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of the rack by inserting a slender implement, such as the tip of an instant-read thermometer, under it; the best place to start is on one of the middle bones. Using a dishcloth, paper towel, or pliers to gain a secure grip, peel off the membrane. Repeat with the remaining rack (or ask your butcher to do it).
3. Season the ribs with barbecue rub (about 1 ½ tablespoons per side), rubbing the spices onto the meat with your fingertips.
4. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the ribs, bone side down, in the center of the grate over the drip pan and away from the heat. (If your grill has limited space, stand the racks of ribs upright in a rib rack.). Toss the wood chips on the coals. Cover the grill and cook the ribs for about 45 minutes.
5. Spray the ribs with some of the apple cider. This keeps them moist and adds an extra layer of flavor. Cover the grill again and continue cooking the ribs until they are darkly browned, cooked through, and tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, 45 minutes to 1 hour longer, 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours in all, spraying the ribs with cider once or twice more. When the ribs are cooked, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by ¼ to ½ inch. If you are using a charcoal grills, replenish the coals after 1 hour as needed.
6. Just before serving, brush the ribs on both sides with about ½ cup of the Cider Rum Barbecue Sauce of the barbecue sauce of your choice. Move the ribs directly over the fire. Grill the ribs until the barbecue sauce is browned and bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
7. Transfer the ribs to a large platter or cutting board. Let the ribs rest for a few mintues, then cut the racks in half or into individual ribs. Serve the ribs at once with the remaining barbeque sauce on the side.

Cider Rum Barbecue Sauce

A sweet, mellow barbecue sauce invigorated with dark rum and apple cider. Good choices for rum include Myer’s Rum from Jamaica, Gosling’s Black Seal from Bermuda, or the new Ipswich rum from Massachusetts. The recipe makes more than you’ll need. Refrigerate any excess in a sealed jar—it will keep for several weeks. Makes about 2 ½ cups.

Ingredients:

1 cup apple cider

About 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

2 cups ketchup (I like Heinz)

½ packed cup brown sugar

½ cup dark rum, or more to taste

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or more to taste

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place the cider, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large heavy saucepan and let come to a boil over high heat. Let the cider mixture boil until reduced by about half, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, rum, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, liquid smoke, onion powder, pepper, and cinnamon and whisk to mix. Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer until thick and flavorful, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning, adding more rum and/or mustard as necessary. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or clean jars and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the sauce until serving. It will keep covered in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. Reheat it over low heat before using.