Football Party Food – version 2

Dry Rubbed Barbecued Pork Spareribs

I can see from my blog statistics that a previous post I made called Football Party Food is getting numerous hits right now.  After all, it’s football season, the time for tailgating parties and munchies in front of the television.  So, it must be very frustrating to find that particular post was, in fact, about traveling in Italy during the World Cup final in 2006, when the Italians won the championship.

So, with all due respect to the NFL and hungry football fans this side of the Atlantic, I offer another version of football-party-food, this time with a recipe most suited to sofas, televisions, beer and chips.

This is my preferred way to prepare pork ribs.  The ribs are coated with a spicy dry rub and then slow-cooked in a low-temperature oven for 3 hours before grilling.  The slow-cooking infuses the meat with the spices, and prevents the ribs from drying out with succulent results.  This is perfect for do-ahead party preparations.  The ribs can be slow-cooked up to one day in advance and refrigerated, providing ample sofa time for the big game.  The grilling is quick and low, about 10 minutes, just enough time to heat the ribs and develop a crispy crust – a perfect half-time task for stretching your legs.

Dry Rubbed Barbecued Pork Spareribs

Serves 4-5

2 racks pork spareribs (about 5 lbs.)

For the rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon chili powder
1-2 teaspoons cayenne powder (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 F.

Combine rub ingredients in a bowl.  Coat the ribs thoroughly on all sides with rub mixture.
Arrange ribs in one layer on baking sheet.  Bake in oven for 3 hours.
Remove ribs from the oven.  If making ahead of time, cool ribs, wrap in foil and refrigerate up to one day.  (Allow to come to room temperature before grilling.)

Grill ribs over a low fire, turning, about 10 minutes, until they darken and begin to crisp.

Note:
These ribs are considered dry ribs, because they are not basted with a sauce.  If you prefer wet ribs, baste with your favorite barbecue sauce just before they are finished grilling.  If you baste too early, the sugars in the sauce will cause the ribs to burn.

Try these recipes to accompany the ribs:
- Black Bean, Corn and Red Pepper Salsa
- Garlicky Smashed Potatoes
- Chocolate Brownies