Texas-Style Pork Ribs

Ingredients List

• 6 pounds pork spareribs

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• ¼ cup salt

• 2 ½ tablespoons ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons sweet paprika

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons garlic powder

• 5 tablespoons pan drippings

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 4 cups ketchup

• 3 cups hot water

• 4 tablespoons brown sugar

• cayenne pepper to taste

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup wood chips, soaked

Instructions

1. Prepare the ribs by cleaning and trimming excess fat. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Rub the spice mixture generously over the ribs. Arrange the ribs in two 10x15-inch roasting pans, placing two racks per pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Bake the ribs, uncovered, for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender and nearly falling off the bone.

3. Remove 5 tablespoons of drippings from the pans and heat in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion in the drippings until soft and golden brown. Stir in ketchup and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add water and brown sugar, then season with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, adding more water as needed to reach the desired consistency.

4. Preheat the grill to medium-low heat.

5. When ready to grill, add soaked wood chips to the coals or smoker box of your gas grill. Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the ribs on the grill in batches to avoid overcrowding. Grill for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. In the final 10 minutes, baste the ribs with sauce to prevent burning.

Note from the Editor

Nutritional Information (per serving)