Every other week our awesome guest contributor, Katie Workman, shares her favorite easy recipes and cooking tips and tricks as part of our What’s for dinner? series. Katie Katie is the Editor in Chief and Chief Marketing Officer of Cookstr.com , a website devoted to great, tested recipes from chefs and cookbook authors, so she knows her way around the kitchen.

A Rub for Ribs

I was always intimidated by cooking spareribs.  They always seemed likely to turn out tough and chewy, instead of tender and juicy.  And once you start reading about different theories and methods of cooking them, it’s easy to become even more intimidated.  Barbecue has such hard core followers that any friendly question can turn in to hours of heated debate.  I swear it’s safer to walk into a church and say “who thinks the sacrament is really the body of Christ?” than to walk into a room full of pit masters and query, “who thinks brining ribs makes them more tender?”

Anyway, this is how I’ve been cooking ribs lately, slow and low, and from the pile of bones left on the table, the consensus seems to be that they’re pretty good.  I’ve been going with just a rub, no sauce, which makes a less stickier rib, but one that still has lots of flavor.  I like a healthy food debate, but not always…and what I really like is making something delicious and not having to take a graduate course in the subject to get there.

Here’s the rub (get it?).  And you can also use this on really anything; chicken, steaks, any meat you like.

Rub for Spare Ribs with a Little Kick

Ingredients:

1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic flakes
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning (optional)

Directions :

So, you take a full rack of baby back ribs and sprinkle on the rub.  Don’t coat it too heavily or it will overpower the flavor of the ribs, a few tablespoons on each side of a full rack.  Rub it in, and let them sit, uncovered, in the fridge for a few hours (if you have to skip this step don’t worry - they’ll still be great, but the flavors just won’t permeate the meat as deeply.)

Now, I like to start them in the oven.  Take them out of the fridge and while they come to room temp, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Place the ribs on a baking sheet with a rim, and cook them for 2 hours. If you need to stick them one on top of the other, that’s OK, just switch them after an hour so the bottom rack is on the top.

Them you’re going to transfer them to a grill heated to medium/medium-low — gas or charcoal, your choice.  Cook the with the meatier side up for 45 minutes, then for the last 15 flip them so the meaty part is facing the fire.

Let them sit for 5 minutes or so, then slice them up between the bones and serve.  If you want to pass some of your favorite barbecue sauce on the side, by all means do so!