You'll need bibs and plenty of napkins for these finger-licking good ribs!

Mama, Haul Out the Bibs Ribs!

 

The Rub:

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 cup kosher salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup garlic seasoning

1/4 cup chili powder

1/4 cup lemon pepper

1/4 cup onion salt

1/4 cup celery salt

2 tablespoons coarse ground black pepper

2 tablespoons whole celery seeds

1 tablespoon crushed cloves

1 tablespoon cayenne

1/2 cup Mrs. Dash original blend

 

The Ribs:

2 (4 to 5-pound) racks spareribs

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup minced dried onion

1 cup of The Rub

Outta This World Barbecue Sauce (see recipe here)

Method:

1. First prepare The Rub by thoroughly combining all rub ingredients. Store in airtight container. This will make 6 cups.
2. The day before smoking, trim your ribs of all excess fat. Place them in a large, plastic bag and pour in Italian dressing to coat. Seal bag well. Refrigerate for four hours, turning occasionally.
3. Remove ribs from bag and wipe off dressing. Sprinkle each rack with pepper, then 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and 1/2 cup of the onion flakes. Wrap each rack in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
4. The next morning, remove from wrap and wipe sludge off ribs. Generously coat front and back of ribs with Rib Rub and, using your hands, rub seasoning into meat and set aside.
5. The smoking process will take six hours. Using a chimney charcoal starter, get 15 briquettes red-hot. Place coals on one end of grill and place 1 pound of water-soaked hickory chunks. Keep internal temperature of the grill at 200°F to 225°F (95°C to 105°C). Add more charcoal and hickory chunks every hour as needed.
6. Place ribs bone-side down, not directly over hot coals. After three hours, remove ribs from grill and wrap in aluminum foil.
7. Hold in covered grill at 180°F to 200°F (85°C to 95°C) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until fork-tender.
8. Build a really hot bed of coals over the entire bottom of grill. Be careful because the next step goes quickly. Place ribs back on grill to add char flavor. When meat becomes bubbly, it is done. Make sure to char off bone-side membrane until it becomes papery and disintegrates.
9. Slather with barbecue sauce. Let heat caramelize sauce, this caramelizing, along with the charring and slow smoking, is the secret to tender smoky ribs. There are no short-cuts to this time-honored way of barbecuing.

Makes 6 servings.