Preparation time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 12 to 24 hours
Cooking time: 1 to 1 1/4 hours
Yield: 4 servings
This recipe is a perfect example of slow grilling.
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons hot red pepper sauce
1 medium onion, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 rack of pork spareribs, about 3 pounds
1. Combine the ketchup, vinegar, hot sauce, onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl; mix until blended. Pour 1/2 of the sauce into a non-metallic baking dish large enough to hold the ribs in a single layer. Place the ribs, meaty side down, in the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the ribs. Cover and hold in the refrigerator 12 to 24 hours.
2. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are thickly covered with gray ash. If you are using a gas grill, heat on low 5 minutes with the lid closed. 3. Place the ribs on a rack set at least 6 inches from the fire. Grill slowly 15 minutes. Turn the rack and baste with sauce. It should have browned slightly. If it still appears raw, stoke the fire. If it has browned a great deal or scorched in spots, move the ribs to a cooler part of the fire. Cook 15 more minutes and flip again. Baste just before turning.
4. Continue to grill the ribs 30 to 45 minutes more, turning and basting every 5 minutes. Watch the fire carefully, keeping all flame away from the ribs. Remove the rack from the fire and slice into individual ribs. Place on a platter.
PEACHY MUSTARD BABY BACK RIBS
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Marinating time: 30 minutes or more
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Baby back ribs are cut from the back rib section of the pig (as the name implies). These are not a tough cut of meat at all. Rather, baby back ribs are the bony section from a rack of pork, and the meat on them is as tender as a center-cut pork chop. For that reason they can be grilled fairly quickly without any precooking.
1/3 cup honey mustard
3 tablespoons each: peach preserves, peanut oil, lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt, pepper to taste
2 racks baby back pork ribs
1. Mix the mustard with the peach preserves, peanut oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Marinate the ribs in this mixture at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are white hot or heat a gas grill on high 5 minutes with the lid closed.
3. Brown the ribs about 4 inches from the hot coals. They will take about 6 to 10 minutes per side. Be careful, this sweet sauce burns easily. Turn frequently to prevent scorching.
PEPPERED LAMB RIBLETS
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 16 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Lamb riblets can be ordered from most butchers. Baby back ribs may be substituted.
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 teaspoon each: crushed red pepper flakes, paprika
1/2 teaspoon each: dried minced garlic, salt
16 lamb riblets
1. Combine the black peppercorns, crushed red pepper, paprika, minced garlic and salt in a small bowl. Rub into the surface of the ribs and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are white hot or heat a gas grill on high 5 minutes with the lid closed.
3. Brown the ribs about 4 inches from the hot coals. They will take about 8 minutes per side. Be certain that they do not burn or the pepper will become bitter. Turn frequently to prevent scorching.
GARLIC AND YOGURT VEAL RIBS
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour or more
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt, pepper to taste
4 1/2 pounds veal ribs
1. Combine the garlic with the oil, yogurt, crushed pepper and salt and pepper to taste and marinate veal ribs in this mixture at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
2. Bake at 350 degrees 40 minutes. Or, microwave on high (100 percent power) 7 minutes per side.
3. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are white hot or heat a gas grill on high 5 minutes with the lid closed.
4. Brown the ribs about 4 inches from the hot coals. They will take about 5 minutes per side.
MICROWAVED AND BARBECUED BEEF RIBS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Marinating time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 28 minutes
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup each: cider vinegar, honey
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, dried minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon each: dried oregano, ground black pepper
8 beef ribs
1. Combine the ketchup with the vinegar, honey, chili powder, salt, garlic, oregano and pepper. Mix well and marinate ribs in the mixture 20 minutes in a microwave-safe dish.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and cook in a microwave oven at full power 10 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and turn ribs over. Cover with more plastic wrap and microwave another 10 minutes.
3. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are white hot or heat a gas grill on high 5 minutes with the lid closed.
4. Brown the ribs about 4 inches from the hot coals. They will take about 4 minutes per side.
