Baby Back Ribs - One Rib, Two Rubs, One Rib More (and the Sauce!)

Well, I've been waiting to write about this one for a long time.  Back in February, I cooked a Beef Brisket in a crock pot, and longed for a special BBQ sauce that is no longer made.  Check out that blog here.  In my write-up, I gave a "shout out" to Dan, of Fat Dan's BBQ Sauce fame.  Well, shortly after I wrote it, his sister (a friend of mine) sent the blog his way.  Not knowing what to expect, I waited.  A couple of weeks later, when I had pretty much forgotten about the quest to obtain the recipe for said sauce, I received an email from Fat Dan himself.  It was short.  It applauded my quest.  And it included the recipe to the one and only Fat Dan's.  Within a week or so, I made a batch, cooked chicken breasts on the grill, and enjoyed an incredible meal with Fat Dan's all over it.  It was delicious.  I probably overdid one ingredient and under-did one other (I need to spice it up and reduce its sweetness is all), but that was just a rookie mistake.  Not being a rookie anymore, I'm ready for the big leagues.

So, today, I am embarking on Baby Back Ribs.  I found a pretty straight-forward game plan online, known as the 2-2-1.  Two hours smoked without foil at 230 degrees, two hours wrapped in foil at the same temperature, and finally one hour uncovered at the same temperature.  Prior to the smoking, there is a layer of mustard and rub.  And during the last hour is some basting in Fat Dan's.  Other than that, sit back and let it do its magic.  So, the day started with a very long visit to Paulina Meat Market.

You see, today is Saturday.  It's beautiful outside, and I believe every family in the northside of Chicago reads my blog and decided to join me at Paulina.  Well, maybe they don't read my blog, but they certainly joined me at Paulina today.  One of my guys at Paulina (Joe) chatted with me about what I was cooking today.  I told him ribs, but wanted to know what the difference (if any) between Baby Back and Spare ribs.  Paulina's signage clearly calls out Baby Back, but my research online for recipes talked about both as if they were different.  Well, they ARE different.  And that now means that my total cut count of 60 just got increased to 61.  Oh, well.  More ribs for me to cook.  Today, it's Baby Back Ribs.  But I now need to find time to do Spare Ribs as well.  Some would be depressed that the finish line just moved.  I embrace it.

First, the rub(s).  I saved some leftover rubs from my first summer last year with the Big Green Egg.  I had a Beef Brisket rub, and a Pork Shoulder (Pulled Pork) rub.  I figured I'd use the Pork Shoulder one, and stop my research there.  But I dipped a wet pinkie into each, and guess what, I loved them both.  And genuinely felt that both would go great on the ribs.  So, I used the entire remaining Pork Shoulder rub, but I included a couple tablespoons of the Brisket rub.  Now, you might want to ask me what was in the rub.  Sorry.  For one, I don't know which recipe I used, and for another, Rubs and Sauces are kind of personal.  So if I'm going to honor Fat Dan with his secret BBQ sauce recipe, I'm going to do the same for the rub.

About 4 hours ago, while the Big Green Egg was getting fired up, I put a rub of mustard on the ribs and coated them generously in my two-rub concoction.  The ribs have gone through their first two hours unwrapped in the Big Green Egg.  About 75 minutes ago, I wrapped them in foil.  So, they have about 45 minutes left until the next change, which is to unwrap them and cook them for one last hour.  And now that it's an hour later, I can tell you that I just unwrapped them 15 minutes ago, and the amount of juice that was in the foil was UNBELIEVABLE.  These things are moist!  So...now it's time to dry them out a bit.  So, this last hour will do that, but I'll also coat them with some Fat Dan's via a basting brush from time to time.  Yum!

As we fast forward to the post meal satisfaction, let me say a sincere thank you to Dan of Fat Dan's fame.  The sauce was a perfect match.  Let me say thank you to Paulina for the highest quality Baby Back Ribs I have ever had.  And let me say thank you to the Big Green Egg, for being awesome.  I have been to Carson's and have had amazing ribs.  I have been to Twin Anchors and have had amazing ribs.  And I have been to Gale Street Inn and have had amazing ribs.  Because I can now make what I made tonight, I sincerely wonder if I will ever return to any of those places.  And that says a lot!

31 down, 30 to go!