Memphis dry-rub ribs
Pork spare ribs with a paprika crust, no sauce
Memphis is famous for pork ribs served 'dry': coated in a spice rub of paprika, garlic and chilli and slow-cooked until tender, then dusted with more rub instead of sauce. Basement rib joints downtown and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest every May keep the style alive. This oven method gets close to the smoked version. Chef's tip: peel the papery membrane off the back of the ribs before rubbing; it blocks the seasoning and turns leathery.
- Total time
- 230 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rub
- 3 tbsp sweet paprika
- 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
For the ribs
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix all the rub ingredients: 3 tbsp sweet paprika, 2 tbsp soft brown sugar, 1 tbsp salt, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp mustard powder, 1 tsp celery salt and 1 tsp dried oregano.
3 minStep 2: Pull the membrane off the bone side of the 4 ⅜ lb pork spare ribs or St Louis-cut ribs with a knife tip and kitchen paper. Coat both sides with two-thirds of the rub and chill for 1 hour or overnight.
65 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 275°F (250°F fan). Lay the ribs meat-side up on a rack in a roasting tin and roast for 2 hours.
120 minStep 4: Mix the ½ cup cider vinegar and ½ cup water and mop or brush over the ribs every 30 minutes for the next 1–1½ hours.
80 minStep 5: They are done when the meat has shrunk back from the bone ends, a rack bends easily when lifted and the meat is well over 160°F. A common mistake is cooking them hot and fast, which makes them tough.
5 minStep 6: Rest 10 minutes, cut between the bones and dust with the remaining rub before serving.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 52 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does memphis dry-rub ribs take?
- About 230 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 210 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of sweet paprika?
- Smoked paprika, half the amount.
- What can I use instead of soft brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
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