Finger Lickin' Ribs on Red Oak Grilling Planks

Honey and heat- two things that make almost any recipes better. That’s why I was excited to see both flavors in one jar. Honey Hole of the Blue Ridge just released their Honey Fuzions in Hot Habanero, Vanilla Bean Vibrance, Crushed Ginger Cascade and Cracked Red Pepper. I used the Cracked Red Pepper Honey Fuzion on Kansas Style Low and Slow Baby Back Ribs and Apple Cole Slaw.

Rib Directions:

First- Soak 2  5x10  Outdoor Gourmet Oak Grilling Planks for an hour or more.

Then- Sear ribs on both sides for grill marks. Add soaked oak planks to grill and place ribs atop planks. Keep heat at 450° for 2 more minutes, the turn the heat down to 275°. Plank ribs low and slow at 275° until internal temp is at least 160°. Baste with Honey Fuzion at least a couple more times.

Finally- Carefully remove from grill and serve with Apple Slaw.  And enjoy!

This weekend was Tim’s Rib King Cook Off at Tim’s Special Cut Meats in Coeur d’Alene. They were short a couple judges, so my dad and I stepped up to the plate and volunteered to sit on a panel of 15 professional and not-so-professional barbecue critics. We were on the less professional side of things, as we have not gone through the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association’s judging class.

At these three-tiered judging classes, one learns the finer points of Beef Brisket, Chicken, and Pork Ribs/Shoulder. The first class is a general judging certification, followed by the Pitmaster Judge certification, then finally the Grand Master Judge cert. In these classes, aspiring judges learn about cuts of meat, wood selection, sauces, spices, rubs, BBQ equipment and theory. Judging criteria, food prep standards, presentation, disqualifications, general rules, procedures and regulations are gone over in detail, all while eating large quantities of meat! But, I have yet to go through this grilling guru training, so I needed a crash course in rib knowledge.

Pork Rib Basics:

The PNWBA uses a 10-pt. judging system that judges meats on appearance, texture/tenderness, and taste (25%, 25%, 50%). There are two types of pork ribs: Spare Ribs and Baby Back Ribs. The differences in these cuts are seemingly insignificant, but it makes all of the difference in the flavor, texture, and appearance.Baby Back Ribs are cut from the loin section- the place where po

rk chops come from. In grocery stores, baby backs may also be labeled “loin back ribs” or “back ribs.” Baby backs are smaller, less fatty, and naturally more tender than spare ribs, which also means they take less time to cook. They’re the most popular rib, partly because they’re neat, compact and easy to eat. They are practically dainty compared to spare ribs and must weight 1.75 lbs. or less for an entire rack.

Spare ribs, sometimes called side ribs, are a cut taken from the belly side of the pig's rib cage above the sternum and below the back ribs, which is also where bacon is cut. Spare ribs are flatter than the curved back ribs and are bigger, tougher, and contain more meat, fat and bone than BBR’s. Because they are a larger cut, they traditionally take lon

ger to cook. Most grocery stores sell Spare Ribs “St. Louis Style,” meaning that the rib tips are removed.

The contestants started their grills first thing in the morning and hung out all day while their ribs smoked to perfection. I asked a couple different contestants for their recipes and was politely declined by most and got one, resounding “No way, Jose!” Turns out that that these rib recipes are jealously guarded family secrets, not to be shared with a mere food writer/judge.

We ate our way through sixteen spare and sixteen baby back rib entries without the aid of so much as a beer. Yes, that’s right. Judges are only allowed to have saltine crackers and water to clear the pallet. The PNWBA can expect a strongly-worded letter from me chastising their beverage availability and espousing the virtues of a good brew paired with ribs.

After all the score sheets were turned in and the votes tallied, George Pitts of the Pitts Place BBQ, was named Rib King!

Check out this website for more info about judging classes and criteria!

www.pnwba.com

Welcome to your weekend! -KB