BLACKBERRY GLAZED SMOKED RIBS
INGREDIENTS
Primary Ingredients:
One rack of pork ribs
Mesquite wood chips
Rub Ingredients:
2 tsp salt
2 tsp coarse black pepper
3 bay leaves
6 juniper berries
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 tsp dry sage
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp all spice
1 1/2 tsp ground coffee
Fresh Blackberry Glaze Ingredients:*
2 pint of fresh blackberries
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp apple vinegar
1 tsp salt
Large pinch of black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
Blackberry Jam Glaze Ingredients:*
8 oz jar of blackberry jam
2 tbsp of apple vinegar
1 ½ salt
Large pinch of black pepper
*Note: if you’d like extra basting sauce for dipping while eating the ribs, simply double either recipe.
METHOD
Using a small frying pan, toast the juniper berries for about 30 seconds, then add celery seed and crushed bay leaves for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Combine toasted spices and rest of ingredients in a mortar and pestal and grind together (you can also use a food processor). Set aside.
Place your substantial rack-o-ribs on a large platter.
Using a blunt knife remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs by slowly slipping the knife under the membrane and lifting up.
Once loosened simply pull the membrane off (if needed use a paper towel for a better grip).
Membrane free, your ribs are ready for the rub.
Generously sprinkle the rub over the ribs
Firmly pat down the rub and repeat process on the opposite side.
Cover the ribs with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
When ready to cook, set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium. Presoak your wood chips (if necessary) and remove the ribs from the refrigerator.
Once the grill is ready, lightly oil the grill grate with a paper towel or cloth.
Place the ribs on the cool side of the grill, add your wood chips, and let the heat and smoke do the work.
Continuously add more wood chips as need to keep the flow of smoke constant.
While the ribs are cooking prepare your choice of blackberry basting sauces. If you’re using the fresh blackberry recipe, use a food mill placed over a bowl and grind the blackberries into a thick liquid (if you don’t have a food mill, a food processor will work…just be sure to strain out the seeds).
Transfer the liquid to a medium sized sauce pan, add remaining ingredients, cook over low heat on a stove for around 20 minutes (stirring continuously).
If you’re the blackberry jam recipe, simply add all the ingredients into a medium sized sauce pan, cook over low heat on a stove for around 20 minutes (stirring continuously). Set aside.
Cooking times will vary depending on your grill and meat, but the ribs are ready when the meat is pulling away from the bone (around 2 hours for on my grill).
About 20-30 minutes prior to pulling your ribs off the grill, bast both sides with the blackberry sauce. (You don’t need cut the ribs in half as pictured above…I did this to separate the two basting sauces I was experimenting with).
With the blackberry sauce finally on, allow the ribs to finish cooking and make sure to continue the flow of smoke.
When ready remove the ribs from the grill and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
SOURCE: sports-glutton
Photo: Lisinda Blaauw
