Grilled Spareribs With Birmingham Bbq Sauce

Photo: Marissa Brassfield

Ingredients

5 pounds Pork spareribs, up to 6

3 tablespoons Peanut oil

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 medium Onion, minced

2/3 cup Tomato catsup

1/2 cup Cider vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dry mustard

1 teaspoon Ground ginger

1 1/4 teaspoons Salt

1/4 cup Honey

2 tablespoons Brown sugar

Preparation

Trim the ribs, including fat and membrane, leaving the rack of ribs whole and at room temperature.

Combine all other ingredients except the honey and brown sugar. Lay ribs flat in a glass or ceramic dish and pour marinade over them. Allow to marinate at least 4 hours; better still, refrigerate overnight for maximum flavor. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

Remove ribs from marinade. Scrape marinade from ribs with a rubber spatula and reserve. Grill ribs over a slow fire for about 40 minutes, turning frequently; fire should not flare up and burn them.

Place reserved marinade in a saucepan and add sugar and honey. Heat only until the sugar is dissolved. Brush on ribs and continue grilling about 20 minutes more, basting as often as necessary to keep ribs moist.

Slice ribs just before serving. To serve, put 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauce on a plate and lay 2 or 3 ribs on top.

NOTES : Jack Burson, a friend from Birmingham, Alabama, has told me that his hometown offers some of the best barbecue he has eaten. Now that he's a neighbor in New York, we cook together frequently. Here is our version of one of the best-ever barbecue sauces.