Southwest Ribs Recipes

SOUTHWESTERN-STYLE BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• At home
• In a small bowl, mix together the thyme, garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Rub the spice mixture over both sides of the ribs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Unwrap the ribs and place them on a baking sheet. Cover completely with foil. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove the foil and let the ribs cool. Refrigerate them, wrapped in plastic, until you are ready to pack, up to 24 hours.
• Just before leaving, cut the racks into individual ribs and place them in a large, sealable plastic container. Add 1 cup of the barbecue sauce and stir so all the ribs are coated.
• At the tailgate
• Prepare coals for a medium fire. When the coals are hot, grill the ribs for 10 minutes, until they are lightly charred and heated through, turning them several times and applying several more moppings of sauce.
• Serve the ribs hot, accompanied by more sauce.

SOUTHWEST RIBLETS

Steps:

• Heat oil in 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion in oil 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in red pepper, garlic and salt; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in chocolate until melted.
• Pour water, vinegar and tomato paste into food processor or blender. Add onion mixture and sugar. Cover and process, or blend, until well blended.
• Heat oven to 375°. Cut between pork back ribs to separate. Place in single layer in roasting pan. Pour sauce evenly over pork. Bake uncovered 30 minutes; turn pork. Bake 45 to 55 minutes longer or until ribs are tender.

SOUTHWEST RIBS

Steps:

• Defrost ribs, season with Emeril's southwest seasoning, wrap in saran wrap, and let marinate at least over night. (I usually do this step when I bring them home from the grocery store. After I season them, I wrap them in foil and freeze them until I'm ready to cook them.).
• Remove plastic, wrap in foil, and cook for one hour at 325°F.
• Take ribs out of foil, place upside down on baking sheet, and put back in the oven. Cook another 30 minutes.
• Take ribs out, turn them right side up, and cook another 15 minutes. (Rib meat should be pulling away from the bone at this point.).
• Remove ribs again, baste with barbecue sauce (top and bottom) and cook for another 15 minutes.
• Let cool, wrapped in foil, and then cut apart. Serve and enjoy.

EMERIL'S SOUTHWEST DRY RUB

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

NEELY'S SOUTHWEST STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• Mix all the dry ingredients together in a small glass bowl to create the spice rub. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture for the BBQ Sauce.
• Rinse and the dry ribs, then put on a clean cutting board and pull off the thin fatty skin that lines the underside of the ribs. Trim the ribs of excess fat and meat. Liberally season both sides of the ribs with the spice rub. Wrap the ribs with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so flavors can develop and permeate the meat.
• Soak the wood chips in water for 1 hour before grilling.
• Preheat the grill to 250 degrees F. Using the hickory and charcoal, set up the grill for indirect heat.
• Arrange the ribs, meatier side down, on the far side of the grill away from the coals. Close the cover of the grill and cook the ribs for 3 hours. Turn and cook until the ribs bend, about 1 more hour.
• You will need to check on the charcoal and chips during the smoking process and replenish as needed. You will also need to maintain a temperature of 250 degrees F.
• Remove ribs from grill to a cutting board and sprinkle with more spice rub. Cut each slab into individual ribs and transfer to a serving platter. Serve the ribs with Southwest Barbecue Sauce.
• For dry ribs: Sprinkle Neely's BBQ seasoning over the ribs, cut between the bones and serve.
• Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onions are soft. Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until thick and the sauce is flavorful, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if necessary.

CROCK POT SOUTHWEST COUNTRY-STYLE RIBS

Steps:

• Soak dried New Mexican chiles in boiling water for 30 minutes.
• Remove chiles from water, dry off, and chop finely, discarding stem and seeds; set aside.
• Brown ribs in oil in skillet over medium heat on both sides.
• Place browned ribs in the bottom of the crock pot.
• Toast cumin seeds in a small dry skillet until just fragrant but do not burn; allow to cool.
• Stir together oregano, salt, pepper, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, chopped chiles, and toasted cumin seeds in a small bowl.
• Pour mixture over ribs in crock pot.
• Spread garlic cloves over the top of sauce.
• Cover crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours or until ribs are done and tender.
• Serve ribs with sauce.