Best Carolina Barbecued Baby Back Ribs Recipes

NORTH CAROLINA HOUSE RIBS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine salt and water and stir to combine and dissolve salt. Remove brine from heat and let cool to room temperature. Cut 1/2-inch slits between bones on underside of rib racks. Place ribs in a large resealable bag set in a baking dish. Pour in the salt brine, seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. In a small saucepan, add the vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk until well combined, then remove from heat. Reserve 1 cup of mixture as dipping sauce and hold, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reserve remaining mixture to baste the ribs as they cook.
• Remove ribs from the refrigerator and discard brine. Pat ribs dry and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Combine beer with 1 tablespoon liquid smoke in a small bowl and pour into the bottom of the baking sheet. Brush pork with marinade on both sides. Bake in the preheated oven, brushing every 20 minutes or so. Cook for about 3 hours or until the meat is knife-tender. Remove from the oven to a serving platter and serve with reserved dipping sauce.

CAROLINA BARBECUED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs. This is important. If you've not done this before, Google the technique.
• In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, sugar, crushed red pepper, garlic powder and thyme and mix well.
• Using your fingers, rub the mixture over both sides of the ribs.
• Cure the ribs in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and for more flavor, up to 24 hours.
• To make the barbecue sauce, chop the onion and cook it in the vegetable oil until it is dark golden.
• Transfer the onion to a saucepan and add all the remaining barbecue sauce ingredients.
• Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Pour the sauce through a medium-meshed strainer, scraping the sieve with a metal spoon to force all the pulp through the sieve.
• Refrigerate the sauce.
• Grill the ribs over medium indirect heat, for about 75 minutes or until the meat begins to shrink from the ends of the rib bones.
• Baste the ribs with the sauce occasionally, stopping 15 minutes before removing the ribs from the grill.
• To serve, cut the ribs into individual pieces and transfer them to a garnished serving platter or to garnished individual plates and serve at once, along with any extra sauce and the fruit salad and corn on the cob.

SMOKED RIBS WITH CAROLINA-STYLE BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• For the rub:
• Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Brush both sides of the racks with oil and rub with the spice mixture. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
• In a large pot over low heat, add all the mop ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
• Remove the ribs from the refrigerator 45 minutes before smoking to allow them to come to room temperature. Add the mix of hickory and applewood chips to the smoker according to package instructions. Heat a smoker to 220 degrees F. Put the apple cider in a small heatproof pan in the smoker.
• Put the ribs directly on the smoker rack. Smoke for 6 hours, brushing the ribs with the mop every hour for the first 5 hours. During the last hour, brush the ribs with the North Carolina Barbecue Sauce every 10 minutes. Remove the ribs to a serving platter and serve.
• For the BBQ Sauce:
• Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool for about 5 minutes.
• Carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. Sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator, stored in a tightly sealed container.

BEST BARBECUED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Prepare ribs by removing membrane from the back of the ribs (use a paper towel to grab the edge and pull), then rinse ribs under cool water and pat dry.
• Place a sheet of plastic wrap larger than the rib piece on the counter and top with ribs.
• Take the rib rub and rub it into the meat on both sides using your fingers, trying to coat it as much as possible.
• Top the ribs with another sheet of plastic, wrapping it, then refrigerate ribs overnight.
• Remove ribs from refrigerator and allow the ribs to rise to room temp while the oven heats up to 250°F.
• Remove ribs from plastic and wrap in foil, placing the wrapped ribs on a large shallow baking sheet.
• Bake ribs for 3 hours, then remove from oven.
• Finish ribs on the grill, adding bbq sauce as soon as you put them on, and grilling for 6-8 minutes or until sauce sets.

CAROLINA STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, lemon juice, white vinegar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses and mustard. Season with granulated garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, white pepper and cayenne pepper, and mix well. Set aside.
• Preheat an outdoor grill or smoker to 225 to 250 degrees F (110 to 120 degrees C).
• Rub ribs liberally with barbeque seasoning, then place them in the smoker or grill, and cover. Cook for 4 hours, or until very tender. The meat will easily separate from the bone. Baste ribs with mustard sauce liberally during the final 30 minutes. Heat remaining sauce to a boil, and serve on the side.

SOUTH CAROLINA-STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• Cut ribs into serving-size pieces. Place ribs meat side up in a roasting pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until tender; drain., Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until slightly reduced., Brush sauce over ribs. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes longer or until ribs are glazed, basting occasionally.

PRIZE WINNING BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat a gas grill for high heat, or arrange charcoal briquettes on one side of the barbeque. Lightly oil the grate.
• In a small jar, combine cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Close the lid, and shake to mix.
• Trim the membrane sheath from the back of each rack. Run a small, sharp knife between the membrane and each rib, and snip off the membrane as much as possible. Sprinkle as much of the rub onto both sides of the ribs as desired. To prevent the ribs from becoming too dark and spicy, do not thoroughly rub the spices into the ribs. Store the unused portion of the spice mix for future use.
• Place aluminum foil on lower rack to capture drippings and prevent flare-ups. Lay the ribs on the top rack of the grill (away from the coals, if you're using briquettes). Reduce gas heat to low, close lid, and leave undisturbed for 1 hour. Do not lift the lid at all.
• Brush ribs with barbecue sauce, and grill an additional 5 minutes. Serve ribs as whole rack, or cut between each rib bone and pile individually on a platter.