Ad Hoc Grilling: Rubbed and Glazed Pork Spareribs

It's been a little while since I spoke about our dream farmhouse in Jersey. Things are moving right along but I'm trying not to jinx it by talking about it too much. Assuming things continue to go as they have been, we plan to start our move back east the weekend of July 4th... and I CAN'T WAIT to see our farmhouse again!

One of the things we took as a sign that our farmhouse was indeed our farmhouse when we first went to visit it was the gorgeous cookbook placed ever so perfectly on an end table in the dining room right next to one of the leopard chairs. Now, the hubs didn't know much about the cookbook but noticed the cover which pictures a chalkboard drawing of a pig, which he took as a sign due to well, I shouldn't have to tell you- Pretty in Pork- our nest egg! I, on the other hand, know all too well of this cookbook. It is Ad Hoc at Home by the infamous Thomas Keller, which is at the top of my need to own cookbook list. Thus, after gallivanting around SF one day with my cute friend Su Chin, she brought me to the most amazing bookstore- Omnivore Books (an all cookbook book store- needless to say, I died inside!), where I found and purchased my very own Ad Hoc at Home.

Last weekend, we attempted our first Thomas Keller dish and it was delish! The hubs actually made this one because it was BBQ ribs and well, he is the BBQ master (or so he likes to think). It was the perfect Memorial Day grilled dinner.

Rubbed and Glazed Pork Spareribs

Rub:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 slabs pork spareribs (each about 3 pounds), cut into 3 bone portions

Combine all the rub ingredients in a medium bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rub spareribs on all sides with the rub. Put on a baking sheet and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 6 hours.

Preheat your grill, about 20 minutes, with half the grill on high heat and leave the other half off so you can cook first on direct heat then move to indirect heat.

Place ribs meat side down, without crowding, on the hot section of the grill and cook about 2 minutes, until grill marks appear. Turn ribs 90 degrees to make a crosshatch pattern and cook 2 more minutes, or until well marked.

Transfer ribs meat side up to the cool section of the grill. Close lid and cook until tender but not falling off the bones, about 2 hours. Move ribs around after the first hour so they cook evenly. The temperature of the grill should remain at about 250 degrees.

Cut spareribs into individual ribs and serve. Serves 4 to 6.

Modern Housewife Tips:
1. Thomas Keller's recipe doesn't call for BBQ sauce. The hubs likes his ribs with just the dry rub but I on the other hand like them glazed with a little sauce at the end of cooking. It's fine to glaze them if you are like me, but like Mr. Keller says- be sure to use a BBQ sauce with some dignity!
2. When making ribs the hubs often starts off cooking the ribs wrapped in foil. They were good directly on the grill, but we've found that they retain more moisture when starting them off in foil. This is all about your personal preference though because you'll loose that crispiness from the grill marks if you use the foil.

recipe adapted from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home