Steve N's Rockin' Ribs

Plainfield's Steve N. says he's no expert in cooking ribs. In the next breath, he says he prepares about 200 racks a year.

Yo, Steve! That's almost 4 racks a WEEK, pal!

Here's "Mr. Novice" ... can't escape without a little "ribbing," Steve! (Damn, that was funny.)

I was browsing the club Web site, admiring the photos and recipes, when I decided to submit my rib recipe. I am no expert by any means, however I cooked probably in the neighborhood of 200 slabs of ribs last year and this recipe is probably the best yet.

These really started in my head a week ago when I was watching that "Pit Masters" show on TLC. I've been on a diet since the first of the year, so I figured what better time to experiment with my rib recipe because, hey, if I messed them up I'd be doing my diet a favor?


I usually coat my ribs with mustard to hold the rub, and brown sugar was part of the rub, but after watching that show I just couldn't help trying it another way. I started with spare ribs trimmed up real nice & coated them with peanut oil. Then I put on my rub minus the brown sugar. If you Google Kansas City rib rub, you can get the basic ingredients. I add some other stuff depending on my taste at the time, but you can use any rub you like. I let them sit for a few hours in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. I fired up my grill, which is a Traeger pellet smoker with a mixture of apple and oak pellets and threw them on for two hours at 225 degrees, coating them about every 45 minutes with a spray of plain apple juice.

After 2 hours, I wrap them in foil, putting Parkay squeeze bottle margarine, brown sugar, honey, and onion powder on the foil. Then I put them bone-side up in the mixture and repeat that process on the back of the rib. Then I wrap them up tight in the foil so the moisture stays in. Throw them back on the grill for another hour or so.

Next, remove them from the foil, put them back on the smoker for another hour, sauce them up one side. Fifteen minutes flip and repeat, then take them off and let them sit uncovered in the microwave for a half hour (off of course). I don't know why but for some reason they just turn out better when I do that. All I can say is wow. They start off sweet and juicy and finish with just the right amount of bite-heat-kick, whatever you call it. I think I have a winner. Thanks for letting me share this and I hope to see some great things come out of this club.

Steve, welcome! Don't be a stranger, bud!

Tim W.