Recipe: Kansas City Spareribs

KANSAS CITY SPARERIBS

3/4 cup golden brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup paprika
2 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 large racks spareribs (about 9 pounds)
1 1/2 cups purchased tomato-based barbecue sauce (such as KC Masterpiece)

In a small bowl, make a dry rub by mixing together brown sugar, paprika, coarse salt, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle 2/3 cup dry rub all over spareribs. Cover ribs with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Cover remaining dry rub; store at room temperature. Unwrap seasoned spareribs; sprinkle all over with half of remaining dry rub. Let ribs stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare smoker or grill. You will need about 4 cups oak or hickory wood smoke chips that have been soaked in cold water at least 30 minutes and about 8 pounds 100 percent natural lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes.

Using charcoal and 1/2 cup drained wood chips, bring smoker to 200 to 225 degrees or grill to 275 to 300 degrees. Arrange ribs on rack in smoker or grill. Cover and cook 2 hours, turning occasionally. Add charcoal as needed to maintain temperature and add more wood chips ( 1/2 cup for smoker or 1 cup for grill with each addition) to maintain smoke level. Sprinkle ribs evenly with all remaining dry rub. Cover and cook 1 hour 15 minutes. Brush ribs generously with barbecue sauce. Continue cooking until meat is very tender and brown, about 30 minutes. Maintain temperature by adding more charcoal; maintain smoke level by adding more hickory wood chips as needed. Transfer ribs to large serving platter. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut rib racks between bones into individual ribs and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Southern Living Christmas 1998 (Oxmoor House)