Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (240 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
In Memphis, ribs get flavor from spice rub and a thin, vinegary liquid—called a mop—that is basted on the ribs throughout cooking. As with our
BARBECUED PORK SPARERIBS
, we applied a spice rub to the ribs and let them sit for one hour before grilling. To keep the meat moist on the grill, we stowed a pan of water underneath the cooking grate on the cooler side of the grill, where it would absorb heat and work to keep the temperature stable. For the mop, we combined apple cider and apple cider vinegar and brushed it on the ribs while they cooked on the grill. Last, as with our other barbecue recipes, we transferred the ribs to the oven to cook through until tender.
SERVES 4 TO 6
Don’t remove the membrane that runs along the bone side of the ribs; it prevents some of the fat from rendering out and is authentic to this style of ribs. Two medium wood chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, can be substituted for the wood chip packet on a charcoal grill.
2 | (2¹⁄ |
1 | recipe |
2 | cup wood chips, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained |
¹⁄ | cup apple juice |
3 | tablespoons apple cider vinegar |
1 | (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum roasting pan |
1.
Rub 2 tablespoons dry rub on each side of racks of ribs. Let ribs sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2.
Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top. Combine apple juice and vinegar in small bowl and set aside.
3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent halfway and place roasting pan filled with 2 cups water on 1 side of grill. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4¹⁄
2
quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill opposite roasting pan. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
3B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Place roasting pan filled with 2 cups water on other burner(s). Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed during cooking to maintain grill temperature between 300 and 325 degrees.)
4.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place ribs meat side down on cool side of grill over water-filled pan. Cover (position lid vent over meat if using charcoal) and cook until ribs are deep red and smoky, about 2 hours, brushing with apple cider mixture and flipping and rotating racks halfway through cooking. During final 20 minutes of cooking, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
5.
Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and add enough water to cover pan bottom. Transfer ribs to prepared rack and brush with apple cider mixture. Cover tightly with foil and cook in oven until tender, 1 to 2 hours.
6.
Remove ribs from oven, loosen foil to release steam, and let rest for 30 minutes. Slice ribs between bones and serve.
MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
2
CUP, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
MEMPHIS-STYLE BARBECUED SPARERIBS
For less spiciness, reduce the cayenne to ¹⁄
2
teaspoon.
2 | tablespoons paprika |
2 | tablespoons packed light brown sugar |
1 | tablespoon salt |
2 | teaspoons chili powder |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons black pepper |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons garlic powder |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons onion powder |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons cayenne pepper |
¹⁄ | teaspoon dried thyme |
Combine all ingredients in bowl.
LOW-TECH GRILL CHAMP
With the proliferation of grilling tools and gadgets on the market, you might be surprised to hear what grilling “tool” we find indispensable—a simple disposable aluminum pan. Whether large enough to hold a 20-pound turkey or small enough to cover a single sausage link, disposable aluminum pans are a grill-cook’s best friend. We routinely use these inexpensive trays to cover meats (and retain heat) on windy days, to hold our grilling tools, and to transfer food from kitchen to grill and back. When preparing many of our recipes, we like to place a disposable aluminum roasting pan in the center of the grill before adding the lit charcoal. Once the charcoal in the starter is lit and covered with light gray ash, we pour the coals into equal piles on either side of the pan. The pan ensures that the coals stay in place for even heating and makes cleanup a cinch—all of the rendered fat collects in the disposable pan, not on the bottom of the grill. This setup isn’t necessary for gas grills, but when smoking on a gas grill, you can also use a smaller disposable pan to hold the wood chips.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
More often than not, baby back ribs taste like dry shoe leather on a bone. We wanted ribs that were juicy, tender, and fully seasoned, with an intense smokiness. Meaty ribs—racks between 1¹⁄
2
and 2 pounds if possible—provided substantial, satisfying portions. For ribs that are so good and moist they don’t even need barbecue sauce, they must be brined first and then rubbed with a spice mix before barbecuing. Chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and dark brown sugar formed a nice, crisp crust on the ribs and provided the best balance of sweet and spicy.
SERVES 4
Two medium wood chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, can be substituted for the wood chip packet on a charcoal grill. For information on removing the membrane from the ribs, see
“REMOVING THE MEMBRANE FROM THE RIB RACK”
.
¹⁄ | cup sugar |
¹⁄ | cup salt |
2 | (1¹⁄ |
1 | recipe |
2 | cups wood chips, soaked in water for 15 minutes and drained |
1.
Dissolve sugar and salt in 4 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge racks in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub 1 tablespoon dry rub on each side of racks of ribs. Let ribs sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
2.
Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in foil packet and cut several vent holes in top. Combine apple juice and vinegar in small bowl and set aside.
3A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4¹⁄
2
quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.
3B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium-high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed during cooking to maintain grill temperature of 300 to 325 degrees.)
4.
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place ribs meat side down on cool side of grill. Cover (position lid vent over meat if using charcoal) and cook until ribs are deep red and smoky, about 2 hours, flipping and rotating racks halfway through cooking. During final 20 minutes of cooking, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
5.
Transfer ribs to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Cover tightly with foil and cook in oven until tender, 1 to 2 hours.
6.
Remove ribs from oven, loosen foil to release steam, and let rest for 30 minutes. Slice ribs between bones and serve.
MAKES ABOUT
¹⁄
4
CUP, ENOUGH FOR 1 RECIPE
BARBECUED BABY BACK RIBS
4 | teaspoons paprika |
1³⁄ | teaspoons ground cumin |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons chili powder |
1¹⁄ | teaspoons packed dark brown sugar |
1 | teaspoon white pepper |
³⁄ | teaspoon dried oregano |
³⁄ | teaspoon black pepper |
¹⁄ | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
Combine all ingredients in bowl.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Lamb and the grill have great chemistry. The intense heat of the coals produces a great crust and melts away the meat’s abundance of fat, distributing flavor throughout, while imparting a smokiness that’s the perfect complement to lamb’s rich, gamy flavor. But the rendering fat can cause flare-ups that scorch the meat and impart sooty flavors, ruining this pricey cut. To solve this problem, we trimmed the excess fat from the racks of lamb and stacked the coals to the sides of the grill, creating a cooler center where the fat could safely render before we moved the lamb over direct heat to brown the exterior. A simple wet rub of robust herbs and a little oil enhanced the meat’s flavor without overwhelming it. Our method gave us a rack of lamb that was pink and juicy, with a well-browned crust that contrasted nicely with the lush, ultra-tender exterior.
SERVES 4 TO 6
We prefer the milder taste and bigger size of domestic lamb, but you may substitute lamb from New Zealand or Australia. Since imported racks are generally smaller, follow the shorter cooking times given in the recipe. While most lamb is sold frenched (meaning part of each rib bone is exposed), chances are there will still be some extra fat between the bones. Remove the majority of this fat, leaving an inch at the top of the small eye of meat. For more information on frenching the rib bones, see
“TRIMMING AND FRENCHING RACKS OF LAMB”
. Also, make sure that the chine bone (along the bottom of the rack) has been removed to ensure that it will be easy to cut between the ribs after cooking. Ask the butcher to do it; it’s very hard to cut off at home.
1 | (12 by 8-inch) disposable aluminum pan (if using charcoal) |
4 | teaspoons olive oil |
4 | teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary |
2 | teaspoons chopped fresh thyme |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | (1¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper |
1A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL:
Open bottom vent completely and place pan in center of grill. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into two even piles on either side of pan. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
1B. FOR A GAS GRILL:
Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium.
2.
Combine 1 tablespoon oil, rosemary, thyme, and garlic in bowl. Pat lamb dry with paper towels, rub with remaining teaspoon oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place racks bone side up on grill (cooler part of grill over pan with meaty side of racks very close to, but not quite over, hot coals if using charcoal). Cover and cook until meat is lightly browned, faint grill marks appear, and fat has begun to render, 8 to 10 minutes.
3.
Flip racks over, bone side down, and move to hotter parts of grill if using charcoal or turn all burners to high if using gas. Cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush racks with herb mixture. Flip racks bone side up and continue to cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Stand racks up and lean them against each other; continue to cook (over 1 hotter side of grill if using charcoal) until bottom is well browned and meat registers 115 to 120 degrees (for medium-rare) or 120 to 125 degrees (for medium), 3 to 8 minutes longer.
4.
Transfer lamb to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut between ribs to separate chops and serve.
Omit rosemary and add 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon grated lemon zest to oil, thyme, and garlic. Reserve 2 tablespoons glaze, then brush racks as directed in step 3 and brush with reserved glaze after removing from grill.
