Preparation:
1. Often when you buy ribs at the butcher counter, you get a full rack of ribs that wouldn't fit on a plate. Usually you just have to cut these long racks in half to get the perfect serving size (about 4 to 6 rib bones per rack). You'll likely have 4 of these smaller racks at about a pound each.
2. Preheat the oven to 300F.
3. Tear off 4 pieces of aluminum foil that are roughly 6 inches longer than the ribs.
4. Coat the ribs, front and back, with your choice of barbecue sauce. Place a rack of ribs, one at a time, onto a piece of foil lengthwise and wrap it tightly.
5. Place the ribs into the oven with the seam of the foil wrap facing up. Cook for 2 to 2-1/2 hours, or until you see the meat of the ribs shrinking back from the cut ends of the bones by about 1/2 inch. This long cooking time will ensure that the meat will be very tender and fall off the bone.
6. Toward the end of the cooking time, prepare the grill.
7. Remove the ribs from the foil and smother them with additional barbecue sauce. Be sure to save some sauce for later.
8. Grill the ribs over hot coals for 2 to 4 minutes per side, or just until you see several spots of charred blackened sauce. Watch for flames and do not burn!
9. When the ribs are done, use a sharp knife to slice the meat between each bone about halfway down. This will make it easier to tear the ribs apart when they are served.
TIDBITS
If you've got the time to marinate these ribs in advance, do it. I've found these ribs are extraordinary when they've been soaking in barbecue sauce for 24 hours before cooking. Just prepare the ribs in the foil described in the recipe and keep them in your refrigerator. Toss them, foil and all, into the oven the next day, 2 to 2-1/2 hours before you plan to scarf |
