FatDux

FatDUX recipe #1 - BBQ ribs, big duck style

I always get a little hot under the collar when folks tell me that user experience (UX) is something that takes place strictly online. Nonsense! I’m about to give you a recipe for BBQ ribs that will change your life. And if that ain't user experience, I don't know what is.

Memphis, blues, and BBQ
Yesterday, I got back from Memphis, Tennessee from the 10th annual Information Architecture Summit (which probably needs to be renamed the UX Summit…but that’s a different blogpost).

Memphis is a city in distress. Countless vacant storefronts cast their darkened eyes at deserted streets. Clearly, Memphis has never fully recovered from any of the earlier economic downturns. Locals tell me the city has been on a downward spiral for decades. Even so, the populace remains amazingly open and friendly despite their hardships.

[caption id="attachment_212" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Memphis by day"][/caption]

The truth is, after you’ve seen the sporadic attractions – Elvis’ Graceland, Sun Studios, the National Civil Rights Museum, and the ducks swimming in the fountain at the Peabody Hotel – the cultural experiences are limited.

Two factors, though, provide life-support to the dying town: blues and barbeque. And I love them both.

[caption id="attachment_213" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Beale by night"][/caption]

Good eating in Memphis
Beale Street is the cultural center of Memphis. Every honky-tonk and café has a blues band. And BBQ is literally the order of the day – ribs and pulled pork. For the vegetarians, there’s also fried catfish, fresh from the muddy Mississippi River, about a half mile down the road. If you're a strict vegetarian, you'd best stay home.

Memphis-style ribs are great, but a little dry for my liking. So in the interest of promoting offline user experience, I’d like to share my own favorite recipe for BBQ ribs.

Big Duck Eric’s Fabulous BBQ Ribs
There are two key ingredients in this recipe: rub and marinade. Prepare them both and then I’ll tell you how to use them.

Rub: (mix in a small bowl)
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder (sweet chili if available or “sweet delicacy” paprika)
2 teaspoons coarse salt (sea or kosher)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley (crushed)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (crushed)
1 teaspoon sugar

Note: this is COOKING not baking. So exact measurements are not particularly critical. Honestly, if you triple the amount of oregano, the recipe will still work. Personally, I triple the amount of bourbon (see below).

Marinade: (mix in a big bowl)
1 cup pineapple juice (apple works, too, but NOT orange juice, which is too sour)
1 cup cheap dry red wine (cheap but still drinkable)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vinegar (cider is best)
1/2 cup soy sauce (Chinese not Japanese - we want the extra salt)
1/4 cup yellow mustard (Dijon can be used if necessary)
A generous dollop of bourbon (exactly 73 ml – more or less)
1 teaspoon (minimum) hot sauce (Tabasco, Frank’s, Crystal, whatever)

Another note:
1 tablespoon = 15ml (in Australia, this is 20ml, but it doesn’t really matter)
1 teaspoon = 5ml (same in Australia)
1 cup = 250ml (who the hell knows what it is in Australia)

Putting it all together
Trim the fat off 2 kg (4-5 pounds) of pork ribs (loin back or meaty spareribs). Rub them on both sides with the rub (use your fingers – there’s no neat way of doing this, which is why it’s called a “rub”). Use more rub on the meat side; less on the bone side.

Arrange the ribs in single-use foil roasting pans (you’ll never get the residual gunk off of a regular roasting pan when you’re done cooking). Pour the marinade over the ribs and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Cut the sides of ribs to fit your trays as necessary – just make sure they’re immersed in the marinade.

Preheat your oven to about 180 degrees C (375 F, gas mark 4-5). Or arrange your Weber grill for indirect grilling. Or do the same for your gas grill, preheating on high and then reducing your heat to “medium”.

Place the uncovered pans on the grill (but close the lid on the grill since this is basically a roasting process). Spoon marinade over them regularly (baste), every 15 minutes or so. Let them bake for about an hour and a half or until tender (could be as much as two hours). You’ll know that they’re tender when you can pull two ribs apart in the center of the rack and the meat tears with little or no resistance.

If you like a more smoky flavor, you can throw water-soaked wood chips onto your charcoal grill during the last 30 minutes of cooking - apple and hickory work great; mesquite is a bit overpowering in combination with a sweet sauce like this.

I assure you, these are amazing ribs. Truly a user experience to be remembered. And if these get you hot under the collar, well, that’s the idea!
 

[caption id="attachment_195" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Big Duck Eric's BBQ ribs, about an hour into the cooking cycle."][/caption]



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