=
mm
OAK-SMOKED CHERRY-GLAZED IABY RACK RIBS
=
=l O ut from high on the hog (adjacent to the backbone), baby back ribs,
w aka top loin ribs, offer the perfect ratio of tender meat to moisturizing
flavorful fat. Smoke baby backs low and slow and you get a softer texture
and richer smoke flavor. Smoke-roasting at a higher temperature crisps
the meat fibers, so you get a crustier, chewier rib than with slow-smoking,
and you cut the cooking time to less than 90 minutes. (Do not try this with
spareribs.) Detailed instructions for both methods follow.
One doesn’t normally associate baby backs with Texas, but Jason and
Jake Dady have made them an object of cultlike adoration at their Two
Bros. BBQ Market in San Antonio. They do so by applying a smoked
paprika-coriander-brown sugar rub to the ribs prior to a four-hour smoke
with Texas oak in brick pits blackened with age and creosote. But wait:
What’s that sweet-sour fruity note caressing your palate? And why do you
find yourself thinking of the cherry in a Manhattan? This brings us to the
Dady secret, for the brothers glaze their baby backs with cherry syrup
during the smoking process and again just before serving, a combination
that’s as beguiling as it is unexpected. Normally, I recommend a half rack
of baby backs per serving, but with these cherry-glazed bones, you may
want to commandeer a whole rack for yourself.YIELD: Makes 4 racks,
enough to serve 4 really
hungry people, or 6 to 8 as
part of a larger meal
METHOD: Hot-smoking
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
SMOKING TIME: VA to 4
hours
FUEL: Oak logs, chunks, or
chips—enough for 4 hours of
smoking (see chart on page 6)
GEAR: A rib rack (optional)
SHOP: For the pork, ideally
ribs from a heritage breed like
Berkshire or Duroc.
For the cherry syrup, you
want an imported brand like
Torani from Italy. Look for it
at your local coffeehouse or
gourmet shop, or online from
Amazon.
WHAT ELSE: I offer two
methods here: traditional
low-and-slow smoking and,
as a variation, higher heat
smoke-roasting. The first gives
you meltingly tender ribs. The
second produces meat you
gnaw off the bone.INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons ground coriander (^) i
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 tablespoons coarse salt (sea or kosher)
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
VA cups cherry syrup, plus extra as
needed
4 racks baby back ribs
(2 to 2 Vi pounds each)
5 tablespoons sweet paprika
% cup brown sugar
(light or dark—your choice)
3 tablespoons Spanish smoked paprika
(pimenton)
- Make the rub: Place the sweet
paprika, brown sugar, smoked
paprika, coriander, fennel seeds, salt,
cayenne, and cumin in a small bowl
and stir to mix, breaking up any - Arrange the ribs on a rimmed
baking sheet. Remove the thin, papery
membrane from the back of each rack
of ribs following the instructions on
page 97 (number 3). :•
PORK | 95