Smoke Gets In My Eyes
(as often as possible)

I smoke my ribs in a native-rock smoker that I built myself. (I have the hernia surgery scars to prove it!) I smoke 'em over apple or crabapple or pear wood at around 250 degrees for four to five hours or until the meat has reached 170+ degrees internally and the rib meat has pulled back from the end of the bones by a 1/2 inch or so. (Brisket takes up to 20 hours and I want an internal temp of at least 180.  Pork butt, 12 hours, 180.)

After three hours in the smoke, you can finish the slabs on the grill if you're running short on time... but then, you didn't plan very well, did you? If you don't have a smoker (and a hernia to go along with it), here's how you can add smoke to your gas grill experience: Make a large foil envelope, fill with water-soaked wood chips, seal, pierce top liberally, and place between flame shield (or ceramic bricks) and food grate. Set your grill to run about 250 and keep track of internal temp.

Gid & Clark’s Championship Rib Rub
(Gideon is my youngest son who has always taken a real interest in helping me perfect this outstanding concoction.)

4 cups dark brown sugar 
1 cup black pepper, freshly ground 
1 1/2 cup chili powder 
1/4 cup paprika 
1/4 cup celery seed, finely ground 
1/4 cup cumin, finely ground 
1/4 cup dried cilantro, finely ground 
2 tbsp chipotle pepper, finely ground 
1/8 cup ground bay leaves
cayenne pepper to taste 
2-4 individual cloves of garlic*
1 cup kosher salt to taste**

Fresh ground ingredients make a world of difference. I've found it easiest to estimate the celery seed, cilantro, chipotle, and bay leaves and grind them together in a coffee / spice grinder.

* If you like a bold garlic flavor, add garlic powder to taste. I don't care for a heavy garlic taste. I take the fresh cloves and smash them flat with the broad side of a butcher knife. I add these clumps whole to the container in which I keep my rub. The garlic "seasons" the rub, rather than becoming a major component of the taste.

** Always add salt at the end of the mixing process. Add it slowly and only to the point that you just begin to taste the salt. Kosher salt has a more mellow, palatable taste than table salt. This is a sweet, savory rub and not a lot of salt is needed to round out the taste.

Rub is ready to use at once and only improves with age. In spite of the name of this preparation, you really don't need to rub the Rub into the meat. Sprinkle liberally on ribs at least one hour before cooking, overnight is even better.  Some people coat ribs with a film of mustard and then add the rub.  I don't care for the mustard taste on ribs - and yes, you do taste it!  If you want to get fancy, mix brown sugar with a liquid (cranberry juice, root beer, Dr Pepper), coat the slab and then sprinkle on the rub.  Wonderful.

This rub is great on all meats to be barbequed and really brightens up burgers and steaks on the grill, as well. Mix up a batch, apply liberally, smoke slowly, and send me a note about how much you liked it.

I make my own sauce, sort of.  I start with a jug of Cattleman’s BBQ Sauce (from Sam’s Club), warm it on the stove and add honey, brown sugar, mustard, liquid smoke, worchestershire sauce, cayenne, ground bay leaf, cilantro, black pepper – what ever strikes my fancy on the day.  In a gallon of sauce, a 15oz can of very finely chopped tomatoes will give a beautiful texture that I was mentioning earlier.  Finely chopped and well-cooked bell peppers / onions would do well, too.  It doesn’t squirt out of a bottle well, but it is beautiful. 

(Note:  I once brewed up some of my sauce and offered it alongside the legenday KC Masterpiece sauce.  Mine was the hands-down preference.  I started to crow a little until one of my guests soberly said, "Clark, half the BBQ cooks in town make better sauce than KCM.  Rich Davis (KC Masterpiece originator) is a better promoter than anyone else, not a better sauce creator."  Look around, there's no review of the legendary KCM restaurants on this site.  Why?  Because Rich Davis is a better promoter than business man.  He's got a string of unpaid bills and bankruptcies trailing behind him.  Moral of the story?  Get out in the backyard and have fun.  Life is about the smiles you share.  Chill.)

Rib Tips

Take a moment and watch this excellent short video showing how to prepare ribs prior to cooking.

Other BBQ Resources

The Passion of Barbeque - I created and published this book that still makes me proud 20+ years later. Featuring the recipes and wisdom of the Kansas City Barbeque Society, this book was virtually an instant classic. Get a copy if you can.

If you want a world-class smoker and skip that whole hernia part, check out BBQ Bonanza. A good friend of mine has one and swears by it.

Keep The Door Shut - I don't know what that guy in the picture above is doing, but you'd do well to keep the smoke IN the smoker (the neighbor's are suspicious enough). I recommend a meat thermometer with a remote unit. You can keep tabs on your progesss without losing the magic fog.

When it comes to BBQ, I'm no one's disciple... I'm more of a John the BBQist type wandering in the wilderness. I have noted some luminaries are worth checking in with occasionally, for inspiration if not instruction. Steve Raichlen is one of them. (site 1, site 2)

also see...

Wwhat I look for at a BBQ joint. 

Discover the meaning of the word Barbeque.