Dry-Rubbed Beef Ribs

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This past weekend was the annual Big Apple BBQ in New York City. D and I were just coming off our sickness, placing our desire for large amounts of BBQ low. After a few hours, we were craving ribs. Knowing the lines would be killer, we took our newfound hunger into our own hands.

We headed to the butcher and upon arrival asked for beef ribs. Short ribs were brought out and we quickly sent them back. We were thinking Texas style and therefore needed dinosaur ribs. A plastic wrapped package was carried from the back recesses and undone. Ribs longer than my forearm tumbled onto the butcher block. D licked the drool from the corner of his mouth.

6 hulking ribs were purchased for 3 people, a watermelon, and a few supplies for coleslaw. Though D himself is from Virginia, his father is a born and bred Texan. D took the reigns when prepping this slab of meat and gave them a basic dry rub of salt and pepper, covered them, and sent them in the oven on low heat for 3 hours.

The result was succulent, juicy ribs that defied any size and flavor ever purchased before in a restaurant. Dripping with moisture the well marbleized meat fell right off the bone, making it all the easier to fill our mouths.

Every dry rub rib recipe I have had before left small amounts of tough, dry meat to be pulled off the bone. These hulking ribs were brimming with flavor, juice and meat-- an overall success.

Dry-Rubbed Beef Ribs
6 ribs (not short ribs) serves 4 with leftovers. Prep time= 5 minutes. Cook time= 3 hours
* 6 beef ribs (not short ribs); have the butcher remove the cartilegde from the underside and crack the ribs but do not separate ribs. Your butcher can also diamond cut across the meat so the dry rub can be rubbed into the meat more easily.
* 3 Tbl salt
* 4 Tbl fresh-ground pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the ribs in a large baking dish, meat up, and amply salt and pepper; rub into the meat.
2) Cover with tinfoil and place on center rack in the oven. Turn heat down to 300F. Cook for 3 hours.
3) To brown, remove foil and replace in oven for 10-15 minutes.
4) Meat will have pulled back from bone and be extremely juicy. Slice and serve.