Smoky Espresso Baby Back Pork Ribs

By Charlie Palmer, Remington Camp Cooking
Images
Smoky Espresso Baby Back Pork Ribs
Serves
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 racks baby back pork ribs
  • 5 tablespoons Remington Smoky Espresso Pepper Rub
  • Remington Sweet & Spicy Chipotle Molasses BBQ Sauce, for serving (optional)


Procedure
The secret to these mouth-watering ribs is Charlie Palmer’s special rub which combines chocolaty espresso, smoky Basque peppers, sweet molasses and fiery chili powder to create an intricate, well balanced blend of spices.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut each rack of ribs in half to create four 6-rib sections. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of the meat with the Smoky Espresso Pepper Rub.

Cut 8 rectangles of heavy-duty foil, each at least 8 inches longer than a rib section. To create four foil packets, place each rib section in the center of one foil sheet, meat side down. Fold in the vertical ends first, and then the horizontal sides, crimping as you go so the packet is airtight and lying closely against the ribs. Repeat with the second piece of foil to double wrap and keep the steam inside. This really tenderizes the meat through the cooking process and keeps the rendered fat in, keeping the ribs moist.

Place the packets on two sheet pans, making sure the ribs are meat side down so the meat will be cooking in the fat—almost braising. Bake in the preheated oven until the meat is very tender, about 90 minutes. (You can stick a meat fork straight through the foil into the meat to test if it is fork tender; just don’t do this until you are fairly sure they are done, or you’ll have holes in the foil too early. Also, try not to punch through the bottom layer of foil and let the fat leak out.) When the meat is very tender, remove the pans from the oven. Let them cool and rest for 20 minutes.

You now have three options:

DIG IN: Carefully open the packets (some blistering steam may still be in there, as well as a good accumulation of hot fat at the bottom), transfer the ribs to a cutting board, and carve in between the bones. Then try to get the individual ribs to a serving platter before people get grabby.

PACK OUT: Chill the ribs right in their packets, place in sealable bags, and pack in a cooler for travel to a campsite. Leaving them in the packets, reheat on an open-fire grill over low to medium heat. Proceed to “Dig In.”

GRILL UP: From either out of the oven or cooled and packed. For some extra-added char flavor: open the packets, remove the ribs from the foil and lay meat side down over a hot open-fire grill; don’t move them until the surface of the meat crisps, about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown the bone side until heated through. Carve and serve.  

Smoky Espresso Baby Back Pork Ribs

By Charlie Palmer, Remington Camp Cooking
Serves
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 racks baby back pork ribs
  • 5 tablespoons Remington Smoky Espresso Pepper Rub
  • Remington Sweet & Spicy Chipotle Molasses BBQ Sauce, for serving (optional)


Procedure
The secret to these mouth-watering ribs is Charlie Palmer’s special rub which combines chocolaty espresso, smoky Basque peppers, sweet molasses and fiery chili powder to create an intricate, well balanced blend of spices.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut each rack of ribs in half to create four 6-rib sections. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of the meat with the Smoky Espresso Pepper Rub.

Cut 8 rectangles of heavy-duty foil, each at least 8 inches longer than a rib section. To create four foil packets, place each rib section in the center of one foil sheet, meat side down. Fold in the vertical ends first, and then the horizontal sides, crimping as you go so the packet is airtight and lying closely against the ribs. Repeat with the second piece of foil to double wrap and keep the steam inside. This really tenderizes the meat through the cooking process and keeps the rendered fat in, keeping the ribs moist.

Place the packets on two sheet pans, making sure the ribs are meat side down so the meat will be cooking in the fat—almost braising. Bake in the preheated oven until the meat is very tender, about 90 minutes. (You can stick a meat fork straight through the foil into the meat to test if it is fork tender; just don’t do this until you are fairly sure they are done, or you’ll have holes in the foil too early. Also, try not to punch through the bottom layer of foil and let the fat leak out.) When the meat is very tender, remove the pans from the oven. Let them cool and rest for 20 minutes.

You now have three options:

DIG IN: Carefully open the packets (some blistering steam may still be in there, as well as a good accumulation of hot fat at the bottom), transfer the ribs to a cutting board, and carve in between the bones. Then try to get the individual ribs to a serving platter before people get grabby.

PACK OUT: Chill the ribs right in their packets, place in sealable bags, and pack in a cooler for travel to a campsite. Leaving them in the packets, reheat on an open-fire grill over low to medium heat. Proceed to “Dig In.”

GRILL UP: From either out of the oven or cooled and packed. For some extra-added char flavor: open the packets, remove the ribs from the foil and lay meat side down over a hot open-fire grill; don’t move them until the surface of the meat crisps, about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown the bone side until heated through. Carve and serve.