Braising Ribs

Braising meat is a great way to make tough cuts of meat become tender and succulent. Low and Slow is the motto for cooking tough cuts of meat. The idea is to break down fat in the meat so make it soft and juicy. The braising liquid can become rather greasy, so it is always best to roast it in the oven or grill it to drip off some of the fat. There is a strict "French" style of braising that I was taught, but there is an easier way to still achieve a tender piece of meat.

Step 1: The Rub
I start the process with a good dry rub. There are many variations to use, I've chosen a mix of 2TB of mustard powder, 1TB Garlic Powder, 2TB Chili Powder, 1TB ground coriander, 1TB ground Black Pepper, 2TB Salt, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and my secret ingredient, 2TB Smoked Paprika. Blend everything together, then rub it all over the ribs. I use a spoon to pour it over the ribs before rubbing so I don't contaminate the rub mix if any is left.


Step 2: The braising Liquid
There are many combination's to the mix of liquids to help braise the meat. Something with some acid is always a must, ie Wine, beer, tomato paste or sauce. I am not one who likes the bud lights of the world, but can use them in cooking. I used 6 oz of Bud Light Wheat with 2 cups Chicken stock, 1 TB of soy sauce. The liquid just raises 1/2 way up the meat, it is not to be completely submerged. Set the oven to 300, cover with foil and roast until nearly falling off the bone. This could take 3 hours or more. Check it every hour to see how tender it is getting and to ensure there is enough liquid in the pan.

Step 3: Roast it.
Once it is tender enough, I placed the meat on a sheet pan, raised the oven temp to 450, and began to roast it. If you braised it, then kept it in the fridge until later, roast for about 20 minutes, otherwise, 10 minutes should be enough to dry it out on the surface. I heavily recommend grilling the ribs instead of roasting, but if you leave your grill outside for the winter and it is iced shut, roasting works and cooks much quicker from cold.



Step 4: BBQ Sauce
Brush the ribs with your favorite BBQ sauce and let it cook until it is sticky.


Step 5: Enjoy it
Pick your favorite side dishes and lick those bones clean.