Merkmans Latest Rib Rub Recipes

Steps:

• With a wooden spoon, blend the brown sugar, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, salt, dry mustard, black pepper, seafood seasoning and ginger powder until mixed. Then bag until usage.

Steps:

• For the basic BBQ rub: Using a coffee grinder, grind the turbinado sugar with a few "pulses" until it is lightly powdered. Combine with the granulated sugar, salt, onion powder, granulated garlic, cayenne, black pepper, mustard, chili powder, cumin and paprika in a bowl and hand stir until well incorporated. Store in an airtight container.
• For the BBQ mother sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low if the onion is cooking too fast--you don't want it caramelized or browned. As the onion is getting close, add the garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes longer. Add the ketchup, honey, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, dry mustard, cayenne and black pepper and stir well. Slowly add up to 1/2 cup water until the sauce reaches the consistency you like. A slightly thick consistency is best. Add about 3 tablespoons of the basic BBQ rub, stir well and taste. The sauce should have a good, well-rounded flavor. Add more of the basic BBQ rub in 1-tablespoon increments until your desired flavor is achieved, up to about 1/2 cup total. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
• For the ribs: Rinse the ribs and remove the membrane from the back. Trim any excess fat from the tops of the slabs. Trim 1 bone from the large end of the ribs and 2 bones from the small end. This will give you a much more consistent slab for cooking.
• Starting on the backs, sprinkle the slabs of ribs with approximately 1/2 tablespoon of the basic BBQ rub each, then add 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard each and massage into the meat. Flip the ribs over and repeat. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. For a contest, I marinate ribs like this for 12 to 16 hours.
• Prepare a smoker to run at 225 degrees F with around 4 chunks of apple wood and 4 chunks of cherry wood so that the wood will smolder throughout the cooking. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator, unwrap and repeat the basic BBQ rub and mustard procedure, massaging them in. Don't get it too thick or paste-like, as this will give you a dark appearance when cooked. Place the ribs in the smoker meat-side up and cook for 2 hours. Remove the ribs from the smoker and increase the temperature to 250 degrees F. Apply the basic BBQ rub and mustard to both sides of the ribs as before. On the top sides, slather approximately 1 tablespoon of honey over the surface of each slab, then sprinkle heavily with the turbinado sugar. Lay each slab of ribs meat-side up on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold up the edges. Pour approximately 1 to 2 ounces of the grape juice into the bottom of each foil package, then finish wrapping the ribs but don't crimp the edges--you want steam to be able to escape.
• Return the ribs to the cooker for 2 hours, then test for tenderness. (I cook ribs in this stage until they look overdone and too tender. Don't worry, they'll tighten up. If they still have too much texture, leave them in for 20 to 30 more minutes.) Remove the ribs from the cooker, open the foil and drain off the liquid. Using the foil as a tool, "roll" the ribs over so the bone side is up, glaze with the BBQ mother sauce, then roll them back over and glaze the tops. Using long tongs, carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them back in the smoker for 15 minutes. This will let the glaze cook onto the ribs and let the ribs tighten back up. Remove from the cooker and allow to rest for 5 minutes, apply a very thin coat of sauce to "glisten" the ribs, then lightly sprinkle with chipotle powder before serving.

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat. Place a pan filled with about 1 cup of water next to the coals for additional moisture.
• For the ranch rub: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
• For the ribs: Using a dry towel for grip, peel the membrane (silver skin) off the bone side of the ribs and discard. Generously season both sides of the ribs with the ranch rub.
• Place the ribs bone-side down over indirect heat, cover the grill down and cook until the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 140 degrees F, about 1 hour. Wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and continue to cook for another hour.
• Take the ribs out of the foil and put back onto the grill, still bone-side down. Spritz with pickle juice, cover the grill and continue to cook until the bones start to pull away from the meat, another hour or so. Check the ribs by flipping a rack over so the bones are facing up. Press your finger on the meat between the bones. If there is some give and the meat starts separating from the bone, they are ready. If not, continue cooking for another 30 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the ribs from the grill, cut into 1-bone pieces and pile onto a platter to serve!
• (Alternatively, you can bake the ribs in a 300 degrees F oven for 3 to 4 hours.)

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Pack on the dry rub onto your next rack of ribs.

Steps:

• Mix all herb and spice ingredients.
• Rub over both sides of ribs.
• Let sit in refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight.
• Bake in covered pan at 325 degrees F.
• for 2 1/2-3 hours or until done.
• At this time you can refrigerate until ready to barbecue or immediately put on moderately heated grill and brush your favorite barbecue sauce over them while turning and heating through.

Steps:

• Make the rub: In a large bowl, combine all rub ingredients and mix well.
• Prepare the ribs: Rinse the pork ribs then pat dry and place on a medium sheet pan, fat side up. Coat the ribs all over with the dry rub. Place in the fridge uncovered for at least 7 hours or overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Transfer ribs to rack and cook, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and cook for an additional 1 hour. The ribs will be done when they have an internal temperature of 180 degrees and the meat pulls away from the bone.
• Let rest for 30 minutes before slicing into individual ribs. Garnish with crushed peanuts, if desired.