Our own Susanna Bolle went over to Tremont 647 earlier this week to gather award-winning chef/owner Andy Husband’s top grilling tips.  Listen to them here.

Also, you can step up your A-game at the grill this 4th of July with some of Husband’s recipes…

Real Deal Competition BBQ Ribs
Serves 8

This recipe came about by trial and error – more error than trial. It started

(seanomatopoeia/Flickr)

off with a dry rub and sauce, but because the ribs aren’t super fatty, we found we needed more moisture. So we started misting. The bone mist introduces a crystallized layer (we like a sweet-and-sour mist), so as you go from rub to mist to sauce, you’re building and developing flavors. We have refined our recipe over the years, and now it’s just where we want it – a solid, winning pork rib with a great smoky flavor and a nice amount of heat. You’ll know yours are just right if you and your friends can’t stop eating ‘em.

3 racks of pork ribs, St. Louis cut
Andy’s Bone Rub (see recipe, below)
Bone Misting (see recipe, below)
Andy’s Famous Rib Sauce (see recipe, below)

1. Using a base of hardwood or lump charcoal (not briquettes); preheat the smoker to 250 degrees (F).
2. With a paper towel, remove the silver skin from the ribs by peeling back slowly.
3. Lightly rinse the ribs with a mixture of half water and half cider vinegar. Pat dry.
4. Liberally rub the ribs with Andy’s Bone Rub, using about 1 cup per rib. Let sit out until they reach room temperature. Right before you put the ribs in the smoker, dust again with the rub.
5. 10 minutes before you put the ribs in your smoker place 2 fistfuls of applewood chips in your fire. Add another fistful at the 2-hour mark.*
6. Place the ribs on the grate, bone side down. For the first 2 hours do not peek at all, maintaining the smoker at 250 degrees. After 2 hours, mist the ribs with the Bone Misting mixture. From this point on, mist every 30 minutes, quickly so you don’t let too much heat out. On your third mist, flip the ribs over so they are bone-side-up.
7. At the 4 1/2-hour mark, flip the ribs back over (bone-side-down); glaze/paint them with Andy’s Rib Sauce and cook for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, glazing/painting on hot Andy’s Rib Sauce every 1/2 hour until they are done.
8. To test for doneness, cut one of the ribs and bite into it. You want a light tug with your teeth, but the meat should then pull off the bone, leaving a perfect mark where your teeth were. “Falling off the bone” is a misnomer. Remember, the outer ribs are more done than the inner ones you will use for your testers.
9. Take the ribs out and place on a cutting board, meat side up. Glaze one more time. Slice from the center ribs out, using a thing slicer knife. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

* This recipe was made using a Weber Smokey Mountain CookerTM Smoker. If you have different equipment, you may need to adjust the quantity of chips.
Tip: If your ribs are cooked before you are ready to serve them, wrap them tightly in tin foil and place them in a cooler with a little bit of warm water.

Andy’s Bone Rub

The goal here is a dark, rich chili flavor. If you can’t find Gebhardt’s chili powder, you can substitute ancho chili powder. If you want your ribs spicier, increase the amount of chipotle pepper, up to triple what the recipe stipulates.

1/2 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup maple brown sugar
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Gebhardt’s chili powder (or ancho chili powder)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh ground cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoons dried chipotle pepper powder

In a small bowl, stir sugars and spices together. Set aside.

Bone Misting

The pineapple juice and vinegar give this mist a great sweet-and-sour taste. It is a great second layer of flavor for the ribs.

1 cup pineapple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Mix the pineapple juice, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl, then pour into a spray bottle (like a plant mister).

Andy’s Famous Rib Sauce

Yield: about 2 cups

This sauce is my tribute to Bill Arnold’s Blues Hot Sauce. I was lucky enough to work with Bill once at the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbeque
American Royal Open Competition, and we used his sauce to compete. Mine may not be quite as good as his (or maybe it is), but it will do in a pinch!

3/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup Dijon mustard

2 1/4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

Combine all the ingredients in a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low heat. Whisk the sauce until everything is incorporated, then simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. Sauce may be stored, refrigerated, in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.