Fall off the bone goodness is easy to achieve with baked ribs cooked low and slow. But if you’re not going to slather them in sauce and barbecue them afterwards, then you need a flavourful rub. And this dry rub hits the mark.
The first order of business is to remove the silver skin membrane on the back. With bone side up, you may need to use a sharp knife to get underneath and lift an edge in or order to get it started. If you don’t remove the membrane, the rub can’t penetrate the meat.
It can be finicky, so I let Hubs wrestle with it.
Probably the biggest difference in our rub is that we don’t use sugar; we substitute Swerve instead. By the way, please make sure your spices are FRESH and not stale and old. The flavour you get out is only as good as the fresh ingredients you put in!
Since we’re not barbecuing these ribs, we use two ingredients to impart a smoky flavour: smoked salt, (in addition to regular salt) and smoked paprika.
Measure the Swerve and all the spices into one bowl.
Mix it well. We’re using this dry rub on two racks of ribs (you can make extra and freeze it if you wish).
We don’t bother to measure the mustard; just squirt it from the bottle and brush on with a silicone brush.
Apply the rub over the mustard; the mustard helps it stick! Then we use the brush again to distribute it evenly.
Once the first side is done, we flip it onto the first piece of foil.
Then start the whole process again with the mustard and dry rub.
I almost feel like an artist after the mustard is on :).
Hubs likes to add onions underneath one of the racks of ribs.
Wrap it Up!
Hubs likes to double wrap the ribs in two pieces of foil. This ensures you trap the steam and it can do its work in tenderizing the meat. However, I think if you’re careful in not tearing the foil and crimp all edges well, you can probably get away with one piece.
The mustard also helps break down and tenderize the meat while it’s resting in the fridge.
If you find you have leftover spice rub, just store it in a glass jar or upcycled spice container.
Truthfully, these ribs may look bland but they taste great. However, they taste even better the next day; a good reason for making extra.
Slaw is my favourite side disk with ribs. Instead of cabbage, you can find pre shredded cauliflower or broccoli slaw. I like to top mine with whatever nuts we have on hand (cashews this time).
Take these backed ribs one step further; feel free to add your favourite BBQ sauce and either broil or grill them on the barbecue!
Get your cook on at Birdz of Feather and check out The Unknown Chef for other easy recipes! You'll also find inspiration for home and garden decor too!
Comments
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Do you really mean 1 tbsp Cayenne Pepper? That's pretty spicy/hot.