LEWIS STREET GRILL RECIPES

Steps:

• To a medium bowl add ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper (or use 1 ½ teaspoons for less heat), the granulated onion, 1 tablespoon granulated garlic, and the dry mustard. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
• Prepare a smoker or grill for indirect (two-zone) low heat (250°F) as recommended by the manufacturer. For charcoal, arrange the coals on one side of the firegrate to create a hot and cool (indirect heat) zone. The ribs will go over the cool zone. For gas, preheat the grill with all the burners on, then turn off the center burner or one of the side burners. The area with no heat underneath it is indirect heat. If your smoker or grill uses wood chips, soak 1-2 cups pecan, cherry, apple, or hickory chips in water about 30 minutes while you build the fire, then drain. (If your cooker uses wood chunks, don’t soak them.)
• While the smoker or grill heats, remove the membrane from the bony side of the ribs. Use either a butter knife or your finger to get under the membrane, then grab it with a paper towel, pull, and discard.
• Coat ribs on both sides with yellow mustard. Season ribs with dry rub from 10-12 inches above the ribs for an even coat, patting rub into ribs. Set ribs aside to allow rub to adhere and sweat a bit (the rub will appear wet) until your pit is up to temp. Store any leftover rub in a jar at room temperature up to 3 months.
• Combine 1/2 cup vinegar and the water in a spray bottle.
• Once the smoker or grill is at 250°F, add 4-6 wood chunks or the drained wood chips to the fire or to the smoker box. When you see smoke coming from the fire, place ribs bony side down on the grate, gently scrunching ribs up a bit. (This helps them plump up when you cook them, for a meatier bite.) Cover smoker or grill and cook ribs, spritzing with vinegar water every 30-40 minutes to keep them moist, until ribs are a mahogany color, 2-2 ¼ hours. If you’re cooking over charcoal, be sure to add fuel as needed to maintain the temp.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine ketchup and the remaining ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon granulated garlic. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring often, until flavors are blended and sauce starts to thicken a bit, 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
• Transfer ribs to a sheet tray or platter and close the cooker to maintain the heat. Wrap meat in peach butcher paper or foil. Return ribs to smoker or grill and cook, adding more charcoal if needed to maintain 250°F, until the thickest part of the meat reaches 205°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 more hour. (You can measure the temperature right through the paper.) When ribs are ready, they should also have pulled back about 1/4 inch from the ends of the bones and will have a nice bend to them when you pick them up in the middle of the rack.
• Remove ribs from smoker or grill. Unwrap, set on a serving board, and brush on both sides with some of the sauce. Serve ribs; or if you like, add a little more rub to the top for extra flavor, then set them back on the pit for about 15-20 minutes to allow the sauce to set up.
• Slice ribs and serve with any additional sauce on the side.

Steps:

• About one hour before smoking, coat both sides of ribs with a little vegetable oil and sprinkle with barbecue seasoning rub. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Heat charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking at 230 to 250 degrees F. Add drained wood chips, if using.
• Place the ribs, meaty side down, over a drip pan and cook for 2 hours. Add about 12 coals to a charcoal grill every 45 minutes or so to maintain the heat.
• Remove ribs from grill. Double-wrap each rack in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Return wrapped ribs to the grill and cook for 1 1/2 to 3 hours more over indirect heat, until very tender. Add more coals as needed to maintain temperature for a charcoal grill.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Remove ribs from grill and unwrap. Place ribs over direct heat on grill and brush with Kansas City-style barbecue sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce is set. Turn ribs and repeat with more sauce.