Barbecue braised spareribs with beer and mustard glaze

Janette was worried about the meat-eaters needing something more than salmon on our dinner for Ryan’s birthday, so we made these. Turned out pretty good (especially as this was our very first attempt with barbecued pork ribs). I liked the mustard flavor, which was subtle, not overt.

This recipe comes from Fine Cooking magazine and grill king Bruce Aidell, but we modified it since we are not grill kings. We did the braise, which the original recipe directed to be done in a large pot set on the grill, on our stovetop instead. We braised the ribs on the lowest heat in one of our big Le Creuset French ovens. You could also do the braise in the oven at, say, 300ºF, but we decided to keep the house a little cooler by using the stove, and then taking them outside again to finish them with the glaze on the grill.

Serves 4 to 6.

INGREDIENTS

3 lb. bone-in country style pork ribs For the rub: 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar 3 teaspoons dry mustard 2 teaspoons dried sage Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper

For the braising liquid: 4 strips bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced (3 cups) 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped (1 tablespoon) 1 medium carrot, chopped (½ cup) 2 cups lower-salt chicken broth 1 12-oz. bottle bock beer or dark lager ¼ cup cider vinegar 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoons caraway seeds

For the glaze: ¼ cup Dijon mustard ¼ cup light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS

Rub: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, brown sugar, dry mustard, sage, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Set aside 2 teaspoons of the rub to use in the braise and sprinkle the remaining rub all over the ribs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Sear: Prepare a gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Grill the ribs until nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter, let cool briefly, and then tie each rib with 3 or 4 loops of butcher’s twine.

Braise: If braising in the oven, preheat oven to 300ºF. In a large (8 or 9 quart) cast iron pot or braising dish, cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, carrot, and the reserved spice rub and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the broth, beer, vinegar, bay leaves, and caraway seeds. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Nestle the ribs into the braising liquid and cover the pot. If braising on the stove, set to lowest possible heat; if using the oven, put in oven. Cook until fork-tender, about 1½ hours, turning the ribs halfway through cooking.

Transfer the ribs to a tray. Strain the braising liquid into a heatproof vessel, such as a Pyrex measuring cup, and discard the solids. Let sit until the fat rises to the top. Skim off and discard the fat. Keep warm.

Glaze: Prepare the grill for direct grilling over medium-low heat. In a small bowl, stir the mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in just enough of the braising liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, to produce a glaze thin enough to easily brush on the ribs. Brush one side of the ribs with the glaze and grill glazed side down until bubbly and beginning to darken, 3 to 5 minutes. Brush the other side, flip the ribs, and grill until the glaze is bubbly and beginning to darken, an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the string from the ribs, put them on a warm platter, and drizzle with the remaining braising liquid.

Make Ahead

You can make this dish through the braising step the day before serving. Just cool and wrap the meat and braising liquid separately. Refrigerate overnight and glaze the next day. To spread out the work even more, you can season the meat the day before you braise.