Corkys Dry Rub Recipe Copycat

MEMPHIS STYLE DRY RIBS: CORKY'S RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium heat with all of the coals on 1 side.
• Grill over indirect heat (meat side down) for approximately 2 hours, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F.
• Baste ribs on both sides during cooking with 3 parts water to 1 part BBQ sauce. Once the ribs reach 185 degrees F, baste again with full strength BBQ sauce and sprinkle liberally with dry rib seasoning.

MEMPHIS-STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• Your ribs may already be trimmed, or you can ask the butcher to trim them. To do it yourself, place the ribs meat-side up on a cutting board. There is a line of fat at the base of the ribs; cut along it to remove the cartilaginous rib tips. Turn the meat over, rib-side up. Cut off the flap of meat on the inside of the ribs. (The reason to remove these pieces is that they will burn, well before the ribs are done. You can season them and grill them over direct heat for about 15 minutes, turning once. They are delicious.) With the rib-side up, finesse a sharp knife under the tough membrane that covers the bones. Working from one rib to the next, pull the membrane off the rib. (For a better grip, grab the membrane with a paper towel.) The membrane may tear and you may have to start over, but be patient - removing the membrane allows the spices and smoke to penetrate the ribs, and makes the ribs much more attractive and easy to eat.
• In a shallow, non-reactive pan large enough to hold the ribs, mix together 1 cup cider vinegar, 1 cup cider, garlic, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons hot sauce and the salt. Put the ribs in this marinade, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 16 hours, turning once during this time.
• Remove the ribs from the pan 2 hours before you are going to grill and pat dry. Discard the marinade. Sprinkle the ribs all over with 1/2 cup of the rub, patting it on with your fingers. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour before grilling.
• Mix the remaining 3/4 cup cider vinegar, 3/4 cup cider, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. You will apply this mixture to the ribs once every hour or so with a spray bottle, a barbecue mop, a pastry brush or a long-handled spoon.
• Soak about 3 cups of wood chips (hickory, oak or apple) for at least 1/2 hour in cold water.
• Prepare a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill for indirect grilling over low heat. Drain and add 1 cup of the wood chips.
• Grill the ribs, covered, until they are crispy, and the meat has pulled back from the bone, 3 to 4 hours, depending on the heat of your grill. Spray or baste the ribs with the vinegar-cider mixture every hour, and turn them once during grilling. Don't forget to add more wood chips--and, if using charcoal, more coals--as needed (check every hour or so). You should have enough soaked wood chips for about 3 hours of cooking time; if your ribs take longer, you will need to soak more chips.
• If the ribs are done before you are ready to eat, wrap them in heavy-duty aluminum foil and leave them over very low, indirect heat for up to 1 hour.
• Remove the ribs from the grill, spray or baste with any remaining basting liquid, and sprinkle with the remaining the 1/4 cup of rub. Serve as is, or with Vinegar Sauce.
• Mix together all of the ingredients in an airtight container and store at room temperature. The rub will keep for several months.
• Yield: about 1 cup, enough for 8 pounds of Memphis-Style Ribs.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients. Use immediately, or cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

BARBECUED DRY RUB RIBS, MEMPHIS-STYLE

Steps:

• Mix together the paprika, Old Bay seasoning, chili powder, sugar, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder in a bowl. Rub half the mixture all over the slab of spare ribs, on every side. Reserve the other half of the dry rub mix. Heat the oven to 215 degrees. While the oven is warming, soak the wood chips in cold water to cover (for about 20 minutes). Remove the chips from water and spread them evenly in the base of the smoker. Place the smoker, uncovered, on top of two stove-top burners set at medium-high heat. Let the wood chips smoke for about 3 minutes. Then place the slab of ribs on the smoker tray, place the tray over the wood chips, and cover the smoker tightly with its lid. Turn heat down to medium, and leave the smoker on the burners for 5 minutes. Then transfer smoker to the oven, placing it on the oven floor. After the ribs have been in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, remove the smoker and once again place it over two burners set at medium heat for 5 minutes. Return smoker to oven floor. After the ribs have been in the oven for one hour more, remove the smoker from the oven. Carefully lift up the tray holding the ribs, and pour off the liquid that has accumulated in the tray. Reserve. Return tray with ribs to middle portion of oven, and cook for one hour more. While ribs are cooking, de-grease the reserved cooking liquid, and measure 2 tablespoons of it into a bowl. If you don't have 2 tablespoons make up the difference with water. Add the vinegar and blend well. Reserve. Add the salt to the remaining dry rub mix and blend well. Reserve. Remove ribs from oven and brush top side with the cooking liquid-vinegar mixture. Then sprinkle the salted dry rub mix evenly over the top side of the ribs. Return to middle portion of oven, and cook one hour more. Remove ribs from oven. Let stand 15 minutes. Carve into individual ribs and serve.
• Suggested drink: Qupe Syrah, 1995.
• *It's best if you use a high-quality chile powder-preferably one with a smoky flavor. My favorite for this recipe is Smoked Jalapeno Flakes made by Chile Today, Hot Tamale(tm) in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

CORKY'S DRY RUB RECIPE COPYCAT

Steps:

• mix all ingredients.