When she started dating her now husband, Melissa Cookston fell in love — with barbecue. “He took me to watch a competition and I was hooked,” she says. She signed up for her first cook-off a few months later and eventually became the first woman to win the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest in Memphis, TN, twice! These days, Melissa is the pitmaster at Mississippi’s Memphis Barbecue Co., where she’s much more serious about the quality of the meat than the table manners: “We give you permission to play with your food, stick it in your face and lick sauce off your hands,” she says.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 6 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup turbinado sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/3 cup Hungarian paprika
- 1/4 cup ancho chile powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 racks baby back ribs (2 to 2 1/2 pounds each)
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 3/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 cups applewood chips
Instructions
- Make the rub: Whisk the turbinado sugar, brown sugar, salt, paprika, ancho powder, granulated garlic, onion powder, mustard powder, cayenne, cumin and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl.
- Preheat a grill to medium low and prepare for indirect cooking: On a gas grill, preheat the grill, then turn off half the burners. On a charcoal grill, light the coals, then bank to one side; put a disposable aluminum drip pan on the unlit side of the grill under the grates. Meanwhile, soak the wood chips in water, 30 minutes; drain.
- Make the ribs: Turn the ribs bone-side up. Slip a paring knife between the thin membrane and the bone to loosen, then pull off the membrane; trim any excess fat. Season both sides of the racks with the rub (about 1/2 tablespoon per side). Transfer to a roasting pan, bone-side down, and let sit 30 minutes.
- When the grill registers 250˚ F, add the wood chips: On a gas grill, fill a smoker box with the chips and use according to the manufacturer’s instructions; on a charcoal grill, sprinkle the chips over the coals. Place the ribs bone-side down on the cooler side of the grill. Cover the grill and smoke the ribs for 2 hours (if using charcoal, adjust the air vents and add more coals as needed so the temperature stays around 250˚ F).
- While the ribs are smoking, lay out 2 long sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or double pieces of regular foil). Spread 1/2 tablespoon each of the rub, brown sugar and maple syrup down the center of each piece of foil.
- Place the ribs, meat-side down, on the prepared foil, then top each rack with another 1/2 tablespoon each of the rub, brown sugar and maple syrup. Fold the foil over the ribs and crimp the edges, leaving one side open; pour 2 tablespoons apple juice into each packet and crimp the final edge to seal. Return to the grill and cook until the meat is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 more hours.
- Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the ketchup, 1/2 cup honey, the tomato paste, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard powder, cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a low boil, whisking, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Whisk in 1/2 cup water and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the rub until dissolved; season with more of the rub, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Let cool.
- Make the glaze: Whisk 3/4 cup of the barbecue sauce with the remaining 1/4 cup honey. Set aside the rest of the barbecue sauce for serving.
- Carefully remove the ribs from the foil; return to the grill, meat-side up. Brush with the glaze and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. For “muddy style,” sprinkle with more of the rub. Serve with the remaining barbecue sauce.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 1379 |
| Total Fat | 63 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 144 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 7 g |
| Sugar | 125 g |
| Protein | 69 g |
| Cholesterol | 235 mg |
| Sodium | 1390 mg |
Reviews
Can I make these in the oven?
Loved smoking these ribs! They turned out great. We only made 1 rack and cut the ingredients by half.
I pulled this page out of the magazine weeks ago. I decided to use this recipe for my husband’s and my July 4 dinner tonight. I cut the rub recipe in half (and have plenty left over!). I used the rub on 1 pound of country style ribs. Let them sit for 30 minutes. My husband and I worked outside all day, so I didn’t want to have to worry about using our gas grill. So I made a big foil packet to put in the oven. I didn’t have maple syrup (I thought I did!)….so I used unsulphured molasses. And I didn’t have apple juice, but I had pineapple juice (think pineapple juice and coconut rum!). So the rubbed ribs went into the foil packet with the molasses, pineapple juice and brown sugar. Baked at 300 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. I then pulled the ribs out of the liquid and let them sit. My husband set up our smoking box with applewood chips and finished grilling the ribs with the sauce. The barbecue sauce is awesome!!!! I didn’t make the glaze. They were absolutely the BEST ribs we’ve ever made!!!!! Thank you!!!!!