Tea-smoked spareribs for a crowd

This weekend proved to be one throw-down after another. First, I made the giant cake for Jasmine’s 30th (see previous post). Then two massive spareribs for another birthday bbq a mere 12 hours later.

I began prepping the ribs the minute I got home from Jasmine’s party at 1:30am. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT do this unless you are completely insane. Or as my boyfriend calls me – hardcore. I didn’t even bother to change out of my party dress. The meat needed my immediate attention, and that’s what counts.

I trimmed the ribs of fat, removed the membrane, and slathered them first with sauce and then a spicy rub. These babies needed to marinate for at least 8 hours to allow the flavors to really sink in. I didn’t have minute to waste!

I knew from past experience that cooking the ribs on site would be sub-optimal. It takes too long, you may not have enough grill capacity with all the burger patties and hot dogs vying for space, plus a host of other unknowns. Better to make them 97% at home and then finish them off on a grill. If there were ever two solid mottos, they are:

1. Why tempt fate?

2. It’s much better to have a say in your future rather than none at all.

The interesting thing about this recipe is the tea-smoking part. I found it on Cook’s Illustrated, and this aspect of the recipe turned out to be a real education. Not only could I smoke spareribs in my oven using their prefab method, but I could also smoke other meats, including oysters, fish, duck, and so on with the same great results. You do need a couple pieces of special equipment. In my case, I’m lucky enough to own a pizza stone (I know, I know, who the hell has one of those?), a large baking sheet and a large cooling rack that fits snugly inside the sheet. The recipe calls for finely ground Lapsang Souchong tea. One whiff and I understood why. Lapsang has a smoky, funky nose, making it the perfect choice to impart smokiness without artificial flavorings or time on a grill. The cooking method is interesting as well. A combination of high heat and a tin foil vacuum creates a smoky chamber to infuse the meat with smokiness. This is followed by an immediate reduction in heat, allowing the meat to slow roast for ultra-tenderness.

I brought the ribs over to the party fully cooked, but the final step was to heat them on the grill. This would give the ribs a nice char as well as a final injection of that irresistible smoky flavor.

This is the first time I’ve ever made spareribs. It’s super-easy and damn good. And you can make it 100% in your oven. Just take the last step to broil the top and bottom so you get the crust. Kinda like ‘faux’ grilling. You can brush a little bbq sauce over the ribs, but I chose not to. BBQ sauce can be cloyingly sweet, masking the subtle flavor of the marinade instead of enhancing it. Skip this step and embellish with an icy cold brew instead.

Oven-baked spareribs (adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)

INGREDIENTS

Rub
6	tablespoons mustard (yellow)
2	tablespoons ketchup
3	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2	teaspoons ground black pepper
1	tablespoon sweet paprika
1	tablespoon chili powder
1/2	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2	tablespoons kosher salt
3	tablespoons brown sugar
Ribs
2	racks St. Louis-style spareribs , 2 1/2 to 3 pounds each, trimmed of surface fat, membrane removed (see illustrations below), each rack cut in half
1/4	cup Lapsang Souchong tea leaves (finely ground)—from about 10 tea bags, or 1/2 cup loose tea leaves ground to a powder in a spice grinder)
1/2	cup apple juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the Rub: Combine mustard, ketchup, and garlic in small bowl; combine pepper, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and sugar in separate small bowl. Spread mustard mixture in thin, even layer over both sides of ribs; coat both sides with spice mixture, then wrap ribs in plastic and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
2. Transfer ribs from refrigerator to freezer for 45 minutes. Adjust one oven rack to lowest position and second rack to upper-middle position (at least 5 inches below broiler). Place baking stone on lower rack; heat oven to 500 degrees. Sprinkle ground tea evenly over bottom of rimmed baking sheet; set wire rack on sheet. Place ribs meat side up on rack and cover with heavy-duty foil, crimping edges tightly to seal. Roast ribs directly on stone for 30 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees, leaving oven door open for 1 minute to cool. While oven is open, carefully open one corner of foil and pour apple juice into bottom of baking sheet; reseal foil. Continue to roast until meat is very tender and begins to pull away from bones, about 1 1/2 hours. (Begin to check ribs after 1 hour; leave loosely covered with foil for remaining cooking time.)
3. Remove foil and carefully flip racks bone side up; place baking sheet on upper-middle oven rack. Turn on broiler; cook ribs until well browned and crispy in spots, 5 to 10 minutes. Flip ribs meat side up and cook until well browned and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes more. Cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into individual ribs. Serve with barbecue sauce, if desired.