Long live BBQ season…  Then again, I live in Texas now.  BBQ is life.  I was recently abroad in China and Thailand eating my way through the towns.  Now that was heaven.  Since I’ve been home all I’ve craved is BBQ.  I wanted ribs last night so I made it happen.  In my opinion good ribs need a perfect rub and/or sauce.  The ribs were made sans sauce since many contain an insane amount of sugar and frankly a good rub can be more than enough.  All I have to say post-creation is that these ribs were mouthwatering and I really didn’t want to share.

Flanken style ribs.  From its name you can derive that they are from the back of the cow aka the flank.  These ribs are awesome, I’ll tell you why:  1) Ultra meaty and well-marbled, 2) Cut across bone meaning the bone pieces are oval, 3) Best when slow cooked to release the bone marrow, collagen, and fat, and 4) Usually cut thin.  Lastly these ribs are half the price of the much loved ‘short ribs.’

Fun fact  ::  If you don’t already know, most grocery spots have bulk sections, utilize this.   Rather than spending $4.00-10.00 on bottled spices – package your own in sealable bags, get the exact amount you need, and spend a fraction of the cost!  Spices are usually best for 6 months to a year therefore don’t be wasteful with a bottle that won’t be finished.

Ribs + Rub

Tinfoil boat

The wait continues…

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds flanken style ribs (thin cut with 3-4 oval shaped bones per strip)
• 2 tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. vanilla pepper
• 1 tbsp. sea salt
• 2 tbsp. brown mustard seeds
• 1-1.5 tbsp. paprika

Methodology:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a mixing bowl combine all spices to create the rub.
3. Create tinfoil bowl out of at least 2 sheets of tinfoil.
4. Cover the ribs with the spice mixture.
5. Place the ribs atop the tinfoil then cover with a single sheet creating a tinfoil boat.
6. Place tinfoil covered ribs in the middle of the oven directly on the oven grid
   with a cooking sheet below in case juices fall out. 
7. Cook for 2.5 hours then remove from heat and drain out the juices (goodbye fat/liquid love).
8. Cut into the ribs into pieces with either 1 or 2 bones and serve with your favorite sides.
9. Time to get messy! 

xxx – Sarah

PS – Have some hand wipes nearby…