BBQ pork ribs

BBQ ribs served over rice and proud presidents.

BBQ is a big deal.  Like most foods people war over the how tos, the origins and the superstitions.

There are dry rubs, blackenings, thick sweet sauces and thin firey ones.  My favorites are all of them.
Most BBQ is made with vinegar.  This is "the spice" acid on protein will always make food tastier.  You don't need it to make a good sauce, it is simply a no brainer.  Adding it is always easy and if you feel your food is unsavable - vinegar and a pinch of sugar is a good way to rescue food that is bound for the trashcan.  But to rely on vinegar or long hours of boiling is kind of a cheat.  When it really isn't doing as much as all your lovely spices will.  They add the complexity and depth.

I like complex rubs like Jamaican jerk spices.  You can go Asian with 5 spice.  Smear them in pepper pastes.

I cut my ribs into managable pieces 2 or 3 bones.  If you have a good cleaver then I recommend cutting the rib bone lengths into half.  They are easier to eat this way, but they also collect a lot more rub/sauce and herbs.  If you are entertaining and serving this I recommend splitting up eat rib to be really kind to your guests.  And if you are a sadist leave as many whole as possible.

This is raw, they have been browned in a pan then coated thoroughly in spices ready for the oven. (This batch has turmeric)

My recipe for this one was:

Brown the ribs in some pork fat, olive oil or a dry pan.  (sometimes the ribs have an excess of fat, this can be rendered and saved... you can also use a little to brown the ribs in - then no one person gets the bulk of the fatty bits)

Move to your oven pan coated lightly in olive oil.
Cover liberally with:
Sea salt
1 heaping TBSP Dry mustard (the powder made from mustard seed, this is really amazing stuff and a lovely full warmth)
Whatever hot peppers you like (I did dried thai and misc hot peppers plus their seeds) - mind the heat for guests.
Black pepper (or white)
lavender buds
Fresh Thyme sprigs
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Sage  (This will impart a sausage-like taste that I really like so if you wouldn't then skip it)

Place into a 350 Degree oven and watch each 20 minutes to turn/coat or cover with foil as needed.  This can take an hour or more. The smaller the breakdown you may have done with the ribs, the faster they'll cook.  Mine were done AT one hour.  I like my meat to be JUST cooked and not really a hair over.  So use your discretion.

The herbs will get crispy... especially the sage which I leave whole and if it is nicely coated with pan drippings it is a powerhouse of delicious when served along side the ribs.

After cooking, everything glistens.

I really wing it on each bbq sauce.  I like sweet and hot and with oodles of color.
I used some home canned tomatoes, a large onion minced teeny tiny (major bbq flavor bringer), a handful of crushed garlic, dry mustard (yes more dry mustard - geez this stuff is heaven), 4 TBSP of aronia berry preserves (you can use any preserves you wish - raspberry and cherry are stars!), salt, pepper, more hot pepper flakes and seeds and simmered.  Taste throughout cooking your sauce!  No blind spice adding, and you can't go wrong.

With ribs I like the method of the dry spice rub/covering cooking and then the addition of the saucy bbq.  This isn't required, but it will double your efforts in keeping that lovely flavor sticking to every rib.

If you are achy try adding some turmeric it helps with inflammation as do hot peppers.  So load it up!

YUM!