Mobliz Dried Meat

Gau“Uwaooo~!  Uwaou!!  Waooo…ooo!  You… strangers…!  Go away!  You scare animals!”

—Gau, FFVI

  • 2 racks of babyback pork ribs, about 2–2½ pounds per rack
  • Olive oil
  • Barbecue sauce

Rub:

  • 4 tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tbsp. freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. coarse kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp. onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp. dry mustard
  • ½ tbsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tbsp. crushed Italian seasoning
  • ½ tbsp. crushed red pepper
  • ½ tbsp. cinnamon

Glaze:

  • 2 tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. honey

Remove membrane from ribs.  You can do this yourself, or ask the butcher to do it for you.  Brush surface of ribs with olive oil.  Sprinkle evenly with about a quarter of the rub mixture and pat firmly into the meat, covering the entire surface generously.  Flip over and repeat on the other side.  Repeat process with second rack of ribs.

Prepare a grill for indirect heat, about 225-250 degrees.  Place ribs meat-side down on grill.  Cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Flip, cover, and cook for about 1.5 hours, checking to be sure that the temperature always remains between 225 and 250 degrees.

Meanwhile, lay out two large sheets of aluminum foil, enough to wrap each rack of ribs.  On each sheet of foil, spread 1 tbsp. butter in rectangular shape roughly the size of the ribs.  Sprinkle each rectangle with ½ cup brown sugar and drizzle with 1 tbsp. honey.

Remove ribs from grill and place each meat-side down onto the glaze.  Wrap completely in foil.  Return to grill, glaze- and meat-side down.  Check grill temperature.  Cover and cook for another hour.

Remove ribs from grill and carefully unwrap — glaze will be liquid and very hot!  Discard aluminum foil and return ribs to grill, meat-side up.  Cover and cook 30 minutes.

Flip ribs to meat-side down and brush with barbecue sauce.  Flip and repeat.  Cover and cook 20-30 minutes.

To test doneness, use tongs to grasp ribs at the mid-point.  Lift gently.  If the rack of ribs remains rigid, it needs to cook longer.  When the rack of ribs bends and begins to split when lifted, it’s done.

Remove from grill, wrap in clean foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.  Using a very sharp knife, cut between the bones to separate into pieces.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 24 ribs, enough for 4-6 people.