Tonight's Dinner: Memphis Ribs

Jul 20, 2011 8:00 AM by Jennifer Richmond

Posted in Food & Recipes

Ribs Without The Barbecue Sauce

During the summer months ribs are a great choice on the grill. While they take a little more time, they're well worth it, especially if you cover them in a nice savory dry rub.

There are so many different options when it comes to ribs. You can roast them, you can broil them or you can grill them. Grilling is the best choice during these hot summer months, because you'll get a nice smokey flavor while spending your cooking time outdoors. Yes, it may take a little longer to get dinner on the table, but the end result is so worth the wait.

Once you've decided to grill your ribs, the next decision is sauce or dry rub or both. I never realized you could have ribs with just a dry rub on them and no sauce, but in Memphis, that's how they serve ribs. See, the rub is the most important ingredient next to the meat. But don't worry, just because there's no sauce, doesn't mean the ribs are dry and tough. If cooked correctly, the meat is just as tender and delicious as any ribs drowning in barbecue sauce.

So, why did I decide to go for just a rub and no sauce? I recently received a bottle of Applewood Smoked Sea Salt from My Spice Sage and it smelled so delicious, there was no way I was going to hide that smokey flavor under some thick, rich sauce. I'm so glad I followed my instinct and stuck with just the dry rub. The flavor was out of this world and the meat, tender and unbelievably juicy.

Memphis Ribs

Ingredients

1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/8 cup chili powder
3 tablespoons smoked sea salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons allspice
1 rack baby back ribs

Directions

Preheat your grill to 300 degrees F.
Mix the first 11 ingredients, through the allspice, in a small bowl until well combined. Apply the rub all over the ribs, front, back and sides, pressing to adhere, and set aside for 30 minutes.
Place the ribs on the top rack of the grill, to the side of the flame, as the ribs should be cooked with indirect heat. Cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until cooked through. Serve immediately.