- 1/3 cup freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 3 full slabs of pork spareribs, “St. Louis cut” (trimmed of the chine bone and brisket flap), preferably 3 pounds each or less
- ¾ cup bourbon
- ¾ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup butter, preferably unsalted
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, minced
- ¾ cup bourbon
- 2/3 cup ketchup
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients in a bowl. Apply the rub evenly to the ribs, reserving about half of the spice mixture. Place the slabs in a plastic bag and refrigerate them overnight.
- Before you begin to barbecue, take the ribs from the refrigerator. Pat them down with the remaining rub. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Prepare the smoker for barbecuing, bringing the temperature to 200°F to 220°F.
- If you plan to baste the meat (see Notes, “To Mop or Not”), mix together the bourbon and vinegar with ½ cup water, Warm the mop liquid over low heat.
- Transfer the meat to the smoker. Cook the ribs for about 4 hours, turning and mopping them after 1½ and 3 hours in a wood-burning pit, or as appropriate in your style of smoker.
- While the slabs are smoking, prepare the Bour-BQ Sauce so that it is ready to apply to the ribs approximately 45 minutes before the meat is done. In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the mixture thickens, approximately 40 minutes, stirring it frequently.
- Brush the ribs with sauce once or twice in the last 45 minutes of cooking. Return the remaining sauce to the stove and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until reduced by one-third.
- When the slabs are ready, the meat will bend easily between the ribs, and the sauce will be gooey and sticky. Allow the slabs to sit for 10 minutes before slicing them into individual ribs. Serve with the reduced sauce on the side. Serving Suggestion
- Serving Suggestion