I know that the proverbial Baby Back Rib is for the most part a Low And Slow cut meticulously prepared using binders, rubs, butter, brown sugar and finished off with some form or the other of a BBQ Sauce as well as the ever popular Rib Glaze. Now nothing beats a rib cooked for hours all the while being pampered with the above mentioned condiments at various stages of the cooking process resulting in a tender, sweet sticky morsel of Porky goodness that just capitulates and disintegrates upon contact with your tongue. This texture is primarily achieved by the breakdown of the collagen as well as the rendering of the fat which as implied earlier makes for a real taste experience. Now what if I told you that there is another way of mastering these ribs over a live fire creating an equally amazing result albeit different textures and none of that fork tender meat but rather an unrivaled flavour profile with an equally impressive bite and a tiny bit of chew to match, afterall there are legions of us out there who from time to time prefer our meat with a bit of bite, right? Let me introduce you to the Braai Baby Back Pork Rib!

Braai is what we in South Africa call Bbq however its Bbq cooking over a live fire. The first step would be to get the ribs rubbed down with a light coat of vegetable oil or any other high temp non flavoured oil merely to act as a binder for the rub. With these bad boys I went with our Dirty Steak Rub that i applied liberally to both sides of the ribs. I did not remove the membrane from the back of the ribs primarily because I wanted to use it as a protective layer insulating the meat beneath from any harsh flames that could lash out at the ribs with vengeful force. The idea behind this type of cooking is to have a steady temperature allowing the ribs to be kissed by flames while flirting with smoke, and that smoke is generated by the renedering of the fat as it drips onto the coals thus hissing and sizzling causing the plumes of smoke to rise up almost as if the are saluting the humble rack of ribs above them. The key is to keep turning the ribs constantly thus creating that char and Maillard that we are all to familiar with Live Fire cooking whilst simultaneously ensuring an even cook. I also keep a probe on hand to constantly check the temps. The heat from the coals needs to be even and not scorching. This can be achieved in one of 2 ways, ie waiting for the coals to take on the familiar grey look or having a grill which allows you to increase or decrease the height of the cooking grate hence creating different temperature levels. Taking these tips into account helps ensure that the ribs are not undercooked or conversely dry and overcooked. Once my probe indicates temperatures of 90C to 95C (194F to 1203F) the ribs are ready to come off the grill and move onto the resting phase after which I can tuck into a rack of ribs that can only be described as phenomenal. Yes they are smokey and have a bit of char as well as a slight chew which all contribute to an eating experience that is nothing short of incredible. The flavours from the Dirty Steak Rub marry exceptionally well with this style of cooking which keep you coming back for more.

the ribs are ready to come off the grill...

RECIPE

1 rack of Baby Back Pork Ribs

2Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Dirty Steak Rub

Charcoal Grill 

Lumpwood Charcoal or Briquettes

METHOD

1. Rub the ribs with the Vegetable Oil

2. Liberally sprinkle over the Dirty Steak Rub and set the ribs aside

3. Light the Grill and let the temps stabilize also create a cool zone to help with flare ups

4. Set the ribs meat side down on the grill and keep turning every 3 to 5 mins to cook evenly. Make sure to control flare ups and move the ribs away from the flame to the cool zone back and forth if flare ups are persistent. This would typically occur if the coals havent burnt down to that Grey look we mentioned earlier.

5. Once the ribs are done, set them aside to rest and then tuck in and enjoy.

We hope you enjoy recreating these awesome ribs and look forward to your creations using our Smoke Church products. Dont forget to tag us on Instagram: @smokechurchbbq and @chefrivaajmaharaj

See you'll soon with another recipe.

Chef Rivaaj Maharaj