Lachie Strachan’s recipe for America inspired sweet and spicy BBQ pork ribs

America inspired sweet and spicy BBQ pork ribs

My trip to America has been a blast! So many amazing sights to see and great things to do. Above all, the food journey and inspiration I have taken to be able to share with you all over the coming months, has been a treat! I have really enjoyed being able to taste some of the traditional food that we have all grown to love here in Australia. From the smokers to the barbeques, as we all know, low and slow all started in the amazing United States of America, home of the Weber. I’ve sampled quite a few ribs and wings over the last couple of weeks, but today, I thought I’d share with you one of my classics. See you back in Australia at Heat and Grill real soon!

Serves 4 people

Prep Time: 30 mins

Refrigeration Time: 1 hour

BBQ Time: 4 to 5 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 2 to 3 racks of American-style pork ribs

For the spice rub,

• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• ½ a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• ½ a teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper

For the sauce,

• 50 grams of butter, cubed
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 200 millilitres of tomato sauce
• 125 millilitres of whiskey, such as Jack Daniel’s
• ⅓ cup of brown sugar
• 80 millilitres of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 1 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

For the wrapping,

• 50g of butter cut into slices
• 2 tablespoons of  honey

METHOD

1. Mix all the spice rub ingredients together in a large bowl. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs (otherwise ask your butcher to get the job done for you) and then coat both sides of the ribs with the spice mix, rubbing the spices into the meat. Cover and refrigerate it for about 1 hour.
2. Prepare the barbecue for indirect cooking over very low heat (95° to 130°C, low and slow is the way!).
3. Lay the racks bone side down, or in a rib rack, on the cooking grills over indirect very low heat, close the lid, and cook for 3 to 4 hours or until the meat has shrunk back from most of the bones by 5 milimetres  or more. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
4. In a saucepan over low heat on the stovetop, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Increase the heat and cook for a further 10 minutes over high heat or until the sauce is thick and sticky, stirring regularly.
5. After the ribs have been cooking for 3 to 4 hours, brush the racks with the sauce and continue to cook for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting every 20 minutes.
6. In the last 20 minutes my secret is to put a few squares of butter and a drizzle of honey over the top and wrap them in a foil parcel.
7. The ribs are done when you lift a rack at one end with tongs, bone side up, and the rack bends so much in the middle that the meat tears. If the meat does not tear easily, continue to cook until it does.

Enjoy with love! Don’t forget the napkins!