THE ORIGINAL MEMPHIS DRY RUB RIBS

RENDEZVOUS RIBS

METHOD: Indirect Grilling, Followed by direct grilling
ADVANCED PREP: None
SERVES: 4

Let's set the record straight. Charlie Vergos did not set out to
invent the dry rib rub. For that matter, the founder of the legendary
Rendezvous in Memphis didn't even plan to serve ribs, period. And he
certainly never called the stuff barbecue. These are just three of the
paradoxes surrounding the most famous "barbecue" joint in Memphis and
the birth of one of America's most distinctive rib dishes: dry rub
baby backs. Charlie was in the sandwich business, and he'd never even
cooked a rib until a meat salesman gave him a free case of baby backs.
This was back in the 1950s, when ribs sold for not much more per pond
than the box in which they were packed. Good Greek American that he
was, Vergos seasoned the ribs with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic
and grilled them over charcoal. "Tastes great, but looks awful,"
opined the salesman, informing Vergos that proper barbecue was
supposed to be red. So Charlie reddened the seasoning mixture with
chili powder and paprika and the rest, as they say is history.

The Rendezvous ribs defy the traditional notion of American barbecue
on several counts. They're grilled, not smoked; cooked over charcoal,
not wood; and the seasonings (which the owners take pains to call it
just that, not a rub) are applied only after the ribs are completely
cooked. To this day, the Vergos family takes care not to label the
result barbecue. As the restaurant's marquee and menu clearly state,
the Rendezvous house specialty is charcoal-grilled ribs. Such
distinctions don't seem to trouble the 3,500 or so customers who jam
the basement dining rooms on a typical weeknight.

Here's my-recreation of the Rendezvous "rub" and ribs. You'll have
more seasoning mixture than you need for two racks of ribs, but it
keeps well in a sealed jar away from heat and light, and it's nice to
have around for everything from chicken to lamb to steak.

1/3 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chile powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Greek)
1 tablespoon course salt (kosher or sea)
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 racks baby back pork ribs (4 to 5 pounds total)
Memphis Mustard slaw (recipe follows), for serving

1. Place the paprika, chile powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt,
pepper, mustard seeds, and celery seed in a small bowl and mix with
your fingers, breaking up any lumps in the paprika and garlic powder.
Set the seasoning mixture aside.

2. Place the vinegar in a non-reactive bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the
seasoning mixture and 1 cup of water, and whisk until the salt
dissolves. Set the mop sauce aside.

3. Prepare the ribs: Place a rack of ribs meat side down on a work
surface. Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of the rack by
inserting a slender implement, such as a butter knife or the tip of a
meat thermometer, under it. The best place to start is on one of the
middle bones. Using a dishcloth, paper towel, or pliers to gain a
secure grip. Peel off the membrane. Repeat with the remaining rack.

4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 33) and preheat to
medium (325°F to 350°F). Place a large drip pan in the center of the
grill under the grate.

5. When ready to cook brush and oil the grill grate. Place the ribs
bone side down in the center of the grate over the drip pan and away
from the heat. (If your grill has limited space, stand the racks of
ribs upright in a rib rack; see page 52.) Cover the grill and cook the
ribs for 30 minutes.

6. Mop the ribs with some of the mop sauce. Re-cover the grill and
continue cooking the ribs until well browned, cooked through and
tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, 45 minutes to 1 hour
longer. 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours in all. When the ribs have cooked for an
hour, mop them once more and, if using a charcoal grill, replenish the
coals as needed.

7. Just before serving, move the ribs directly over the heat and grill
them until brown and sizzling. 1 to 3 minutes per side.

8. Transfer the ribs to a large platter or cutting board. Let the ribs
rest for a few minutes, then generously mop each rack of ribs with the
remaining mop sauce. Cut the racks in half or into individual ribs.
Thickly sprinkle some of the remaining seasoning mixture on top. Serve
at once with the mustard slaw.

TIP: The Vergos family is very specific as to the fuel (Royal Oak lump
charcoal), the grilling method (direct), the temperature of the fire
(325°F to 350°F), and even the distance between the ribs and coals (18
inches). Which amounts to a method I call modified direct grilling
(for a full definition see page 22). The ribs are cooked over the
embers, as in classic direct grilling, but are high enough above the
fire to avoid burning and flare-ups, just as in indirect grilling. You
can use this method if you have a grill with a grate that can be
positioned high above the fire, like a Big Green Egg (http://
www.biggreenegg.com/) or other kamado cooker or some front-loading or
wood-burning grills (see the variation on page 65 for cooking
instructions).

TIP: Grilling a fatty cut of meat like ribs directly over the heat is
trickier on a conventional charcoal grill, so I recommend starting by
cooking the ribs using the indirect method, then moving the ribs over
to the fire for the last few minutes to brown them. This is the method
you'll find here. Finally, because there's no wood smoke involved,
these ribs are well suited to cooking on a gas grill.

*NOTE: The BDS (Big Drum Smoker - http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com/) or
UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker - http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=23436)
are especially suited to this kind of cooking.

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MEMPHIS MUSTARD SLAW

Part of what makes Memphis barbecue Memphis barbecue is the slaw-it's
not a mayonnaise-based slaw in the style of the Northeast, nor a
vinegar-based slaw in the style of North Carolina. No, Memphis slaw is
mustard based and the spice and vinegar are just what you need to
counterpoint the richness of the pork.

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, or more to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Texas Pete
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1 small or 1/2 large green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
(for about 4 cups finely chopped)
1 medium carrot, peeled

1. Place mustard and sugar in a non-reactive mixing bowl and whisk to
mix. Gradually whisk in the vinegar, oil and hot sauce. Season with
salt and pepper to taste; the dressing should be highly seasoned. Set
dressing aside.

2. Finely chop cabbage in a food processor fitted with a metal
chopping blade, running the machine in short bursts; this is a
chopped, not a shredded, slaw. Work in several batches so as not to
overcrowd processor bowl (over processing will reduce the cabbage to
mush). Finely grate carrot by hand or using the shredding disk of food
processor.

3. Add the cabbage and carrot to the dressing and toss to mix. Taste
for seasoning, adding more salt and/or vinegar as necessary. The slaw
tastes best served within a few hours of being made but can be
refrigerated, covered, for a day or two. Taste for seasoning before
serving, adding more salt and/or vinegar as necessary, and toss to
remix.

TIP: This is a chopped, not shredded, slaw. Use a food processor
fitted with a metal chopping blade to chop the cabbage.

TIP: While tradition calls for using inexpensive ballpark-style
mustard, I like the salty sharpness of Dijon mustard instead.

Raichlen on Ribs, Ribs, Outrageous Ribs.
By Steven Raichlen
Pages 62-66
ISBN: 978-0761142119