BARBECUED BABY BACK RIBS FOR GAS GRILL

By blum099

For a potent spice flavor, brine and dry the ribs as directed, then coat them with the spice rub, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate overnight before grilling. If you're using a gas grill, leaving one burner on and turning the other(s) off mimics the indirect heat method on a charcoal grill. Use wood chips instead of wood chunks and a disposable aluminum pan to hold them.

Ingredients

• Brine
• 1/2 cup table salt or 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 pounds each), or loin back ribs
• Spice rub
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika plus additional 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. To brine the ribs: Dissolve salt and sugar in 4 quarts cold water in stockpot or large plastic container. Submerge ribs in brine and refrigerate 1 hour until fully seasoned. Remove ribs from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.

2. While ribs are brining, cover two cups wood chips with water and soak 30 minutes, then drain. Combine spice rub ingredients in small bowl. When ribs are out of brine and dried, rub each side of racks with 1 tablespoon spice rub; refrigerate racks 30 minutes.

3.To barbecue the ribs: Place soaked wood chips in small disposable aluminum pan, (or homemade container as illustrated below); set pan on burner that will remain on. Turn all burners to high, close lid, and heat grill until chips smoke heavily, about 20 minutes. (If chips ignite, extinguish flames with water from squirt bottle.) Scrape grill grate clean with wire brush; turn off burner(s) without wood chips.

4. Arrange ribs on cool side of grill and cover (grill temperature should register about 275 degrees on grill thermometer). Cook for 4 hours, until meat easily pulls away from bone, flipping rib racks, switching their position so that rack that was nearest fire is on outside, and turning racks 180 degrees every 30 minutes. Transfer ribs to cutting board, then cut between bones to separate ribs; serve.


STEP-BY-STEP
Making a Wood Chip Tray

1. Make a 1-inch fold on one long side of a 12 x 18-inch piece of heavy-duty foil. Repeat three more times and turn the fold up to create a sturdy side that measures about 1 inch high. Repeat the process on the other long side.


2. With a short side facing you, fold in both corners as if wrapping a gift.


3. Turn up the inside inch or so of each triangular fold to match the rim on the long sides of the foil tray.


4. Lift the pointed end of the triangle over the rim of foil and fold down to seal. Repeat the process on the other short side.