Tennesse Pork Ribs
September 12, 2008
This is one of our favorite sunday night meals, ribs on the grill. And boy am I lucky because my husband is Mr. Joe BBQ, he’s got it right down to a science. Tennesse pork ribs were so “mouth wateringly scrumptious”, that needless to say we overindulged (but boy it was worth it). My source for these ribs said that folks in Tennessee know that a good slab of ribs supplies one of life’s greatest pleasures, and that some of the best ribs are rubbed with a mixture of spices and mopped with a mustardy glaze.
We used country style pork ribs, which is the meatiest variety of ribs. I prepared the rub first thing in the morning, spread the rub evenly over the ribs and let it marinade all day, until it was time to BBQ. Rub’s are a combination of salt, sweet, sour and bitter. To read more about the basics of rubs click here. Evidently the BEST rub is the one you make yourself, and is not only a mixture of spices and herbs, but a mixture of flavors. Now grilling your meats with the right wood chip is very important because like a glass of wine, some wood chips flavors go better with certain meats on the BBQ, according to this personal guide.
My source for this fabulous Tennessee pork rib recipe is a cook book called “Grill it!”, from Better Homes and Gardens special interest publications. Please enjoy!
To get more rub recipes click here.
- 4 to 5 lbs. pork loin back ribs or meaty pork spareribs
- 1 tbsp. paprika
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp. celery seeds
- 1 ½ cups hickory wood chips
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
- ¼ tsp. salt
Trim fat from ribs. For rub, in a small bowl, combine paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, cumin, dry mustard, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and celery seeds. Sprinkle rub evenly over both sides of ribs; rub in with your fingers. Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours.
For at least 1 hour before grilling, soak wood chips in enough water to cover. Drain wood chips. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine vinegar, yellow mustard and salt.
For a charcoal grill, arrange medium-hot coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Sprinkle drained wood chips over coals. If desired, place ribs in a rib rack. Place ribs, bone sides down, on the grill rack over the drip pan. Cover and grill for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until ribs are tender, brushing with mustard mixture three times during the last 30 minutes of grilling. Add more coals and wood chips as needed to maintain temperature and smoke. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect cooking. Grill as above, except place ribs in a roasting pan. Add wood chips according to manufacturers directions.)
Serves: 4 to 6
Prep: 20 minutes, Chill: 6 hours, Soak: 1 hour, Grill: 1 ½ hours
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