Rib Rub

Rib Rub

3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Hungarian paprika
1/4 cup garlic powder
2 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp rosemary

Combine all ingredients until well mixed.  Use about 3 tablespoons for each rack of ribs.  (Rub them well with the mixture, wrap and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.)

Store remaining mixture in a jar with a tight fitting lid or a zip-lock bag in a cool, dry environment.

Cayenne Cinnamon Baby Back Ribs with Maple Glaze

Cayenne Cinnamon Baby Back Ribs with Maple Glaze

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 pounds pork baby back ribs
1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375F (or prepare your grill. We're using the oven because it's too hot and too rainy to grill!). Remove the tough membrane from the underside of the ribs.

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, garlic powder, both paprikas, ground cinnamon, cayenne and salt. Place ribs on a double layer of tin foil (large enough to wrap around ribs) and season the ribs on both sides with the rub. Fold over foil and completely cover ribs. Place ribs on baking sheet or roasting pan.

Bake 1-1/2 hours or until meat starts to pull away from bones.

Carefully open foil. Brush ribs with maple syrup. Return to oven (leaving foil open) and roast 30 minutes. Carefully turn ribs over, brush with remaining maple syrup and bake for 15-30 minutes more or until ribs are very tender and browned.

These were very good! Falling apart tender, nice flavor, but a little too sweet for my taste. I'll definitely use the rub again, but instead of maple syrup I'll switch to a vinegar based BBQ sauce...but that's strictly my personal preference. I'll also double the cayenne.

Adapted from a recipe at steamykitchen.com

Tequila Barbecued Pork Ribs

Tequila Barbecued Pork Ribs

Country Style Pork Ribs (there were 5 in the pkg I bought)
Garlic Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
1/2 can Coca-Cola
1/4 cup tequila
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
1 cup bbq sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ Sauce)

Heat olive oil in a large iron skillet. Season the pork with garlic salt and pepper and brown well on both sides in the oil. Remove ribs and place in a baking dish (clean up will be easier if you line the dish with a piece of aluminum foil). Seal with foil and bake at 375^ for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, drain the oil from the skillet. Place skillet over medium heat and pour in the Coke, stirring well to loosen the browned bits from the pork. Add the tequila, brown sugar and cumin and simmer until the liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in the bbq sauce and reduce heat to low until ribs are ready.

Remove the foil covering from the baking dish and pour the sauce over the ribs to coat them. Return to oven and bake another 20 minutes or so, until ribs are falling apart tender.

This is my favorite BBQ sauce. It's also great on just about any kind of meat you cook on the grill. We had the ribs tonight with a can of Bush's Country Style Baked Beans that were jazzed up with a squirt of yellow mustard, a drizzle of maple syrup and about 3 tbsp bbq sauce and heated in a skillet until hot. I love easy meals....