BBQ Ribs with Tomato Watermelon Salad & Corn on the Cob

PREP DETAILS

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 hours for marinade, 5-8 hours for cooking

Ribs

2 large racks of St. Louis style Spare Ribs (or 4 racks of baby back ribs)

1 ½  tbsp brown sugar

1 ½  tbsp Kosher salt

2 tbsp chili powder

3 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

2 cups BBQ sauce (SWAP TIP: I use homemade BBQ sauce, but your favorite store-bought brand will work here)

Tomato Watermelon Salad

1 small watermelon, cut in 1 inch pieces

4 heirloom tomatoes, cut in 1 inch pieces

2 Persian cucumbers, cut in 1 inch pieces (SWAP TIP: if you can’t find Persian cucumbers, use 1 whole English cucumber instead)

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

Kosher salt & pepper

½ cup assorted fresh herb leaves (mint, basil, parsley, etc.)

Corn on the Cob

4 ears of yellow corn, shucked

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp berbere (SWAP TIP: use cayenne if you can’t find berbere)

Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

RIBS

Step 1: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt & spices.

 Step 2: Liberally season the spare ribs with the dry rub (you want them to be fully covered by the spice mixture). Place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

 Step 3: Preheat the oven to 200 F degrees.

 Step 4: Transfer the dry rubbed ribs to a wire rack lined, rimmed baking sheet. Brush the BBQ sauce evenly over the ribs, reserving half for later. Pour 1 cup of water onto the baking sheet. Cover with aluminum foil tightly and bake for 5 hours, or up to overnight.

 Step 5: Once the ribs are just beginning to fall off the bone, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

 Step 6: While the ribs are cooling, preheat the grill & brush the ribs with the reserved sauce.

 Step 7: Carefully transfer to the grill and cook over medium high heat until caramelized & slightly charred, about 10 minutes. (TECHNIQUE TIP: if you don’t have a grill, place the glazed ribs under your oven broiler and cook until a crust has formed, about 6 minutes). Serve with Tomato Watermelon Salad & Charred Corn.

Tomato Watermelon Salad

Step 1: In a large serving bowl, toss together all the ingredients. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Corn on the Cob

Step 1: Combine oil, vinegar, berbere and salt in a small bowl. Evenly brush the oil mixture onto the ears of corn.

 Step 2: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Once hot, place the corn on the grill. Cook for 10 minutes, rotating the corn frequently to ensure even cooking and coloring.