Pork ribs get all the attention, but according to Guy, beef ribs deserve more love. Just don’t sauce them until the end: “Most barbecue sauces have a good amount of sugar, which has a tendency to burn on the grill,” he says.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 30 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cracked mustard seeds
- 1/2 cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup granulated garlic
- 3 racks center-cut beef ribs (8 or 9 pounds total)
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rings
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Make the dry rub: Toast the fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until they become fragrant, tossing occasionally so they don’t burn. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Combine in a bowl with the salt, brown sugar, mustard seeds, paprika, black pepper, cayenne and granulated garlic.
- Make the ribs: Rinse the ribs under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Unless your butcher has already done so, remove the membrane from the back and trim off any excess fat. Coat both sides of the meat with a heavy layer of the dry rub. Refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
- Heat half the grill to medium to create indirect heat. Set out 3 large sheets of foil (one for each rack). Divide the sliced onion and thyme between the sheets and spread them out evenly. Place 1 rack on each sheet, meat-side down, and fold the foil over to form a sealed pouch around each rack. Place each pouch, meat-side down, on a disposable roasting tray (to keep the foil from getting pierced and letting steam out). Place the trays over indirect heat and grill, covered, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- Open the foil so the ribs are exposed. Carefully turn the ribs meat-side up, then grill, covered, for 1 1/2 hours with the foil open. When done, the ribs will be tender and the meat will have shrunk back from the bones.
- Meanwhile, make the orange BBQ sauce: Whisk together the ketchup, cider vinegar, molasses, orange juice, onion powder, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, marmalade and red pepper flakes in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until it reaches a ketchup-like consistency.
- Remove the ribs from the foil and place them directly on the hot side of the grill. Brush with the orange BBQ sauce and allow the heat to caramelize the sauce and crisp the exterior, about 5 minutes. Flip the ribs, brush the other side and cook 5 more minutes. Serve with the remaining sauce.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 2226 |
| Total Fat | 182 g |
| Saturated Fat | 80 g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 31 g |
| Protein | 99 g |
| Cholesterol | 457 mg |
| Sodium | 1777 mg |