Happy Canada Day! Celebrate and cook up Ribs for Family and Friends

We are looking forward to celebrating Canada Day this week! Today James (my husband) and I were able to share some tasty backyard favourites today on CHIN TV Festivale di Johnny Lombardi on CITY TV, including these ribs. 

The ribs are so delicious and offer up a great smoky flavour to the pork. If you have a favourite rub be sure to use it or else make your own with our recipe. 

3-2-1 Smoked Ribs

This classic 3-hour, 2-hour, 1-hour smoking method is a favorite at the Richards’ household. Emily’s husband, James, is an avid barbecuer and is acclaimed by family and friends for his ribs and other grilled meats. He shared a couple of his rubs and a classic technique to cook up fall-off-the-bone, tasty ribs.

Rub

2 tbsp sugar 30 mL

1 tbsp garlic powder 15 mL

1 tsp chili powder 5 mL

1 tsp onion powder 5 mL

3/4 tsp     pepper 3 mL

1/2 tsp smoked paprika 2 mL

1/2 tsp salt 2 mL

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 mL

2 racks pork back ribs (about 4 lbs/2 kg total) 2

1/2 cup apple juice 125 mL

1/4 cup water 60 mL

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 15 mL

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 15 mL

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 125 mL

1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard 125 mL

1/2 cup liquid honey 125 mL

1 cup barbecue sauce 250 mL

In a small bowl, stir together rub ingredients. Remove silver skin from back of ribs and pat dry. Rub ribs on both sides with spice mixture. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat smoker to 180°F (82°C). In a spray bottle, combine apple juice, water, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Place ribs, bone side down, in smoker. Smoke, occasionally spraying with apple juice mixture, for 3 hours, trying to keep the temperature around 180°F (82°C).

In a bowl, stir together brown sugar, mustard and honey. Remove ribs from smoker and place each rack on a large piece of foil. Spread mustard mixture over both sides of ribs and wrap well.

Increase smoker temperature to 225°F (107°C). Smoke wrapped ribs for 2 hours. Transfer wrapped ribs to a baking sheet and unwrap, reserving any juices in the foil. Return ribs to smoker and smoke, brushing occasionally with reserved juices and barbecue sauce, for 1 hour or until glossy and bones pull out easily. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into ribs. Serve 6 to 8.

Barbecue-Smoked Ribs: Place soaked wood chips under one side of the grilling grate and preheat barbecue grill to high until chips start to smoke. Turn side without chips off and reduce heat on the other side to medium-low to keep temperature around 200°F (93°C). Add more soaked wood chips as necessary. Place ribs on unlit side of grill and smoke for 3 hours. Wrap ribs as described above and increase lit side of grill slightly to reach 225°F to 250°F (107°C to 121°C); smoke for 2 hours. Unwrap ribs, return to unlit side and smoke, brushing occasionally with reserved juices and barbecue sauce, for 1 hour.

This recipe is from Best of Bridge Comfort Food, by Emily Richards and Sylvia Kong, published by Robert Rose 2019