Kansas City Style Ribs Recipes

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Combine the garlic, chili powder, cayenne, allspice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. Whisk the ketchup, 1 cup water, the vinegar, mustard, molasses, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a separate bowl. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic mixture and cook, stirring, until the oil turns brick red, about 1 minute. Add the ketchup mixture and bring to a gentle simmer; cook, whisking occasionally, 30 minutes.
• Make the ribs: Soak 1 heaping cup hickory, mesquite or apple-wood chips in water, at least 30 minutes. Prepare a grill for indirect cooking over medium-low heat (about 250 degrees F): On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; on a gas grill, turn on only one side of the burners. Cover the grate on the cooler side of the grill with aluminum foil. Close the grill lid. Position the ribs on a cutting board, meat-side down. Slip a small knife between the bone and membrane, then gently pull off the membrane. Sprinkle the racks with 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper on both sides. Drain the wood chips. For a charcoal grill, scatter the chips directly over the hot coals; for a gas grill, put the chips in a smoker box and position over direct heat. Put the ribs meat-side up on the foil on the cooler side of the grill. Close the grill lid; bring the temperature back up and cook the ribs, undisturbed, 3 hours. (For a charcoal grill, adjust the vents, or add more hot, ashed-over coals as needed to maintain consistent heat.) Remove the ribs and close the lid. Wrap each rack tightly in foil, then return to the cooler side of the grill, meat-side down; close the lid and grill 2 more hours. Remove the ribs and carefully unwrap. Return to the cooler side of the grill, meat-side up; cook, basting generously with the sauce halfway through, until the meat is tender, about 1 more hour. Remove the racks and let rest a few minutes before slicing. Serve with the remaining sauce. Photograph by Con Poulos

Steps:

• Line a large heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil and put rib racks side by side in pan.
• In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne and rub onto both sides of racks. Let ribs stand, meaty sides up, at room temperature, 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°. Cover pan tightly with foil and bake ribs 1 1/2 hours.
• Make sauce while ribs bake: Cook onion in oil in a 3-4-quart heavy pot over medium-low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, including remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Cool sauce slightly and purée in a food processor. Set aside 1 cup sauce for serving.
• Remove foil cover and turn racks over so bone ends curve up, then baste ribs with pan juices and spread generously with some sauce. Continue to bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Turn racks over, then baste again with pan juices and top generously with more sauce. Continue to bake until tender when pierced with a small knife, 30-45 minutes.
• Broil ribs, meaty sides up, 4"-6" inches from heat, until browned, 2-3 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.

Steps:

• 1. Trim each rack of ribs or have your butcher do this for you.
• 2. Place the ribs in a large nonreactive roasting pan. Pour the cider over the ribs. Squeeze the juice from the lemons over the ribs, catching the seeds with your fingers. Turn the ribs a couple of time to coat all over with marinade. If desired, let the ribs marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 6 hours, turning several times.
• 3. Drain the ribs and blot dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the rub on both sides of the ribs, patting it onto the meat with your fingers. Let the ribs stand in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 hours.
• 4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat to high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
• 5. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1 cup of wood chips on the coals. Place the ribs in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the ribs for 2 to 3 hours. After 30 minutes, spray the ribs with apple cider and continue to spray every half hour until ready to brush with the sauce. If using a charcoal grill, you'll need to add 12 fresh coals and 1/2 cup wood chips per side after each hour.
• 6. Lightly brush the ribs with 1 cup of the sauce 20 minutes before the ribs are done. When the ribs are fully cooked, the meat will have shrunk back from the bones about 1/4 inch, and the meat will be tender enough to tear apart with your fingers. But don't overcook; the ribs should have some chew to them. If the ribs start to dry out, wrap them in aluminum foil for the last hour of cooking.
• 7. Transfer the ribs to plates or a platter. Sprinkle the ribs with the remaining rub and lightly brush again with barbecue sauce. Let the ribs rest for a few minutes, then serve with the remaining barbecue sauce on the side.
• VARIATION:
• You can also cook the ribs in a smoker. Smoke them for 4 to 5 hours at 225°F
• ALSO GOOD FOR:
• This is a wonderful way to prepare baby back ribs. In this case, you'll need to allow 1 to 1 1/2 hours for indirect grilling or 2 to 3 hours for cooking in a smoker.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and seasonings; sprinkle over ribs. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour., For sauce, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 5-6 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat., Wrap ribs in a large piece of heavy-duty foil; seal edges of foil. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat until ribs are tender, 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours., Carefully remove ribs from foil. Place ribs over direct medium heat; baste with some of the sauce. Grill, covered, until browned, 8-10 minutes, turning and basting occasionally with remaining sauce.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, bouillon, seasonings and herbs; rub over ribs. Let stand for 15 minutes. , Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Add 1 cup of soaked wood chips if desired. Place ribs in a disposable foil pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 30 minutes. Remove ribs from pan and place on grill rack over drip pan. Add remaining wood chips. Grill 30 minutes longer, turning occasionally., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, saute onion in oil and butter until tender. Stir in the brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and herbs; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add barbecue sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Baste ribs with sauce; grill for 10-15 minutes or until meat is tender, turning and basting occasionally.

Steps:

• Heat grill for indirect grilling: Light one side of grill, leaving other side unlit. Close lid; heat grill to 350°F.
• Sprinkle ribs with paprika; wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil. Place ribs on grill grate; cover with lid. Grill 2 hours.
• Remove ribs from foil; discard foil. Place ribs, meat sides down, on grill; brush with 1/4 cup sauce. Grill 10 min., turning after 5 min. and brushing with remaining sauce.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle pineapple with cinnamon. Grill 6 min. or until lightly browned on both sides, turning after 3 min. Cut into wedges and serve with ribs.

Steps:

• The night before you plan to grill, combine the rub ingredients in a bowl. Apply about one-third of the rub evenly to the ribs, reserving the rest. Place the slabs in a plastic bag and refrigerate them overnight.
• Before you begin to barbecue, take the ribs from the refrigerator. Sprinkle the ribs lightly but thoroughly with rub, reserving the rest of the mixture. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Smoke the ribs, or grill them, turning and sprinkling them with more dry rub about halfway through cooking. In the last 45 minutes of cooking, slather the ribs once or twice with Struttin' Sauce (recipe posted separately).
• Allow the ribs to sit about 10 minutes before serving with more sauce alongside.
• Note: cooking time is approximate grilling time. Since not everyone has a smoker, I allowed for that -- smoking will take much longer. I also like to parboil the ribs a bit before grilling as it makes them more tender -- obviously before marinating and applying any rub.

Steps:

• Dry Rub:.
• Remove the thin white membrane off of the bone-side of the ribs. Mix together the brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Massage the rub into the ribs and let sit for 1 hour or up to overnight.
• If cooking on the grill, place the ribs meat-side down next to medium-hot coals that are about 225 degrees F. The indirect heat will cook them slower, making them tender. Allow to cook for 1 hour. Turn ribs every half hour and baste with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce. Cook until the ribs are tender, about 3 to 4 hours.
• If cooking indoors, place in a roasting pan with a rack. Slather the ribs with the Kansas City Barbeque Sauce and tent a piece of aluminum foil over them. In a preheated 350 degrees F. oven, place the ribs, basting with the sauce every 30 minutes and removing the foil for the last 30 minutes and cooking until fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Kansas City Barbeque Sauce:.
• In a small sauce pot on medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the onion, cooking until translucent.
• Add the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add to sauce pan and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Use to baste the pork spare ribs.
• Makes 3 cups sauce.

Steps:

• Pour beer over ribs in shallow dish. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate.
• Heat charcoal grill to medium heat. Arrange coals evenly on each side of charcoal grate. Remove ribs from marinade; discard marinade. Wrap each rack of ribs in foil; place on center of grate. Grill 2 hours.
• Remove ribs from foil; discard foil. Place ribs, meat-sides down, on grill grate; brush with 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Grill 10 min., turning after 5 min. and brushing with remaining sauce.