Sylvias Spareribs Recipes

SYLVIA'S FAMOUS SPARERIBS

Steps:

• To make the ribs easier to handle, cut each slab between the middle bones into 2 equal pieces.
• Rub the salt, black pepper, and red pepper into both sides of the ribs.
• Place the ribs in a deep baking dish, cover them, and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 450F.
• Pour the vinegar over the ribs and bake 1 1/2 hours.
• Rotate the ribs two or three times during baking and spoon some of the pan juices over them.
• Remove the ribs from the baking dish and place in a single layer on baking sheets.
• (Line the baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.) Bake at 450 F for 1 hour.
• The ribs should be tender and well browned.
• This much can be done up to a day in advance. Cool the ribs, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for about 1 hour before continuing.
• To finish the ribs, preheat the oven to 400 F.
• Cut the slabs between the bones into individual ribs.
• Place the ribs in a baking dish large enough to hold them comfortably.
• Spoon enough of the barbecue sauce over them to coat lightly.
• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.
• BARBECUE SAUCE Ruth developed this recipe because she found most barbecue sauces too vinegary or bitter, and it's the secret to our popular ribs.
• Simple to prepare and absolutely delicious, once made and strained it keeps for quite a while, at least a month.
• Combine all the ingredients in a heavy pot and heat just till hot. Don't bring to a boil or the sauce will turn dark and become thin.
• Cool the sauce to room temperature, strain it, and store it in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator.

SYLVIA'S WORLD FAMOUS TALKED ABOUT SPARERIBS

Steps:

• Rub salt, black pepper, and red pepper into ribs. Place in deep baking dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour vinegar over the ribs and bake 1 1/2 hours. Rotate ribs 2 or 3 times during cooking.
• Remove ribs from baking dish and place in a single layer on baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
• Cut slabs between bones into individual ribs and place in a baking dish. Spoon sauce over them to coat lightly. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake until heated through- about 20 minutes. Serve with original sauce on the side.

ALMOST-FAMOUS BARBECUE SPARERIBS

Steps:

• Make the marinade: Whisk the brown sugar, vinegar, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. Put the ribs meat-side down on a cutting board. Starting at one end, slip a paring knife under the membrane that covers the back of the rack. Loosen the membrane with the knife, then pull it off. Coat the ribs on both sides with the marinade; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Make the rub: Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, celery seeds, cayenne, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl.
• Soak 2 cups hickory wood chips in water, 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat a grill to medium low (275 degrees F) and prepare for indirect grilling: For a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; for a gas grill, turn off the burners on one side. Cover the grate on the cooler side of the grill with foil.
• Drain the wood chips. For a charcoal grill, scatter the chips over the hot coals; for a gas grill, put the chips in a smoker box and place over direct heat. Close the lid and allow smoke to build up, about 10 minutes. Rinse the marinade off the ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Work the spice rub into both sides of each rack with your hands.
• Place the ribs, meat-side up, on the foil over indirect heat. Close the lid and cook, undisturbed, until the meat shrinks back slightly to expose a bit of the bone, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
• Rotate the ribs (keep them meat-side up and over indirect heat), then close the lid and continue cooking, 2 hours to 2 hours, 30 minutes. (For a charcoal grill, add more hot coals as needed to maintain the temperature.)
• Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and chili powder until incorporated, about 1 minute. Whisk in the vinegar, 1/4 cup water, the molasses, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard powder, espresso powder, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper and the cayenne. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Whisk in the ketchup and pineapple preserves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes. Whisk in the liquid smoke. Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then remove the garlic. (The sauce will keep, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks.)
• Baste the ribs generously with the prepared barbecue sauce. Close the lid and continue cooking until glazed, about 20 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest a few minutes before cutting into individual ribs. Serve with more sauce on the side.

SYLVIA'S SPARERIBS

Steps:

• To make the ribs easier to handle, cut each slab between the middle bones into equal pieces. Rub salt, black pepper, and red pepper into both sides of the ribs. Place the ribs in a deep baking dish, cover them, and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour the vinegar over the ribs and bake 1 1/2 hours. Rotate the ribs two or three times during baking and spoon some of the pan juices over them. Remove the ribs from the baking dish and place in a single layer on baking sheets. (Line the baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy cleanup) Bake at 450 for 1 hour. The ribs should be tender and well browned. This much can be done up to a day in advance. Cool the ribs, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. To finish the ribs, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the slabs between the bones into individual ribs. Place the ribs in a baking dish large enough to hold them comfortably. Spoon enough of the original sauce over them to coat lightly. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve w;

BACKYARD BBQ'D SPARERIBS

Steps:

• Trim the membrane off the back of the ribs and rub ribs all over with spice blend. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Soak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
• Prepare an outdoor grill with a medium fire for indirect grilling. Place a drip pan, half-filled with water, under the cooler side of the grill grate. Open bottom vents of the grill.
• Set the ribs over the drip pan. (If you have a rib rack, use it.) Toss 1 cup of the drained wood chips onto the coals and cover the grill. Rotate the lid so that the vent holes are directly over the ribs. Add about 1 cup of hardwood charcoals to the fire about every hour during the cooking time to maintain a medium to medium-low fire (a temperature of about 250 degrees F to 275 degrees F is ideal). After 3 hours the meat should pull back from the bones and will have turned a reddish brown. Baste the ribs with some of the barbecue sauce of your choice and cook over direct heat until lightly glazed. Cut the racks into ribs and serve with extra sauce on the side.
• Whisk paprika, brown sugar, oregano, garlic, ancho powder, salt, and celery salt in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.
• Makes about 3/4 cup
• Mix brown sugar, oregano, parsley, garlic, onion powder, paprika, thyme, black pepper, salt, celery salt, white pepper, cayenne, and bay leaves in a bowl. Pulse in a spice grinder in two batches to a medium-fine grind. Seal in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.
• Makes 1 cup
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, red pepper, allspice, and cloves and cook, stirring, until paste is dark brick red, about 3 minutes. Add the ketchup, water, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, salt, soy sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, black pepper, and bay leaf. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the flavors come together, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf before using.
• Makes about 1 quart
• Split, stem, and seed the chiles. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, turning and flattening with a spatula, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Put the chiles in a heatproof bowl, cover with very hot water, and set aside until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserve soaking liquid, chop chiles roughly, and set aside.
• While the chiles soak, char the onion and garlic in the same dry skillet over medium heat until the onion blackens slightly and garlic softens in the skin, about 8 minutes. Cool, squeeze the garlic out of the skin, and put in a blender with chiles and onion. Puree to a paste, adding soaking liquid as needed (about 3/4 cup) to help the mixture break down.
• Heat the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chile mixture and cook, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato puree, coffee, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, oregano, cloves, and cumin. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar and season with salt to taste.
• Makes 1 quart