Brendan's BBQ Ribs

Intro

In 2016 I did this crazy amazing thing and went on a 3 month round the world tour staying with people in the Koha library community. One of the incredibly hospitable homestays was with Brendan and Sonia in Portland. And we had BBQ ribs!

Ingredients

• Baby back pork ribs - 3 racks

Spice rub

• 1 part Lawry's seasoned salt
• 1/4 part white sugar
• 1/8 part McCormicks Montreal steak seasoning
• 1/8 part spice to your liking: eg cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander
• 1/8 - 1/4 chilli powder / cayenne / smoked paprika etc (ie a pepper)

Method
Combine rub ingredients, pat it 'in' to the ribs, leave to rest for about half hour (sweaty meat)

Put in your smoker or oven (indirect heat) for 135 degrees for about 3 hours. Scratch test (spice rub kind of set not flaky). Not  too much smoke - a kiss of smoke (3 fist sized chunks and briquettes - 135 degrees)

We cooked these on a Weber - Ceramic kamdo grill dome (see photo)

Remove from heat and then coat in sieved brown sugar. Sprinkle on 2 or 3 tblsps of liquid per rack: apple juice / peach juice / pineapple juice / ginger lemonade).

Wrap in tinfoil like a burrito, put back in heat ie oven 135 degrees for about an hour,  toothpick test to see it goes straight meat without tension

Remove from heat, divide into ribs.

Smoked venison leg

Preparation

Remove connective tissue and fat as you can. For bands of silverskin score them but don't cut into the meat.

Brine

For every  4 litres of water add:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cup salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 tblsps pepper
• 1 tblsp black pepper

Soak the venison, covered, for 12-24 hours

Spice Rub

• 1.5  part salt
• 1 part beef stock
• 3/4 part garlic powder
• 3/4 part onion powder
• 1/2 part black pepper
• 1/2 part paprika
• 1/2 part oregano
• 1/2 part thyme
• 1/4 part cornflour

Smoking

Wood chips - soak 1 pound of wood chips for 1-2 hours before smoking

Smoke - fill up water pan, fill wood chip box with soaked wood chips

Keep temperature at 200°F - 300°F

Smoke meat for 1.5 hrs per pound or until meat reaches internal temperature of 140°F. Remove and rest meat for 20 minutes.