Cooking InKerry Alaric Cheeseboroblack pepper, brown sugar, cayenne, celery salt, chili, chili powder, cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, Cooking In, corn, cumin, dry rub, fresh cracked, garlic, garlic powder, ground, ground cloves, herbs, mayo, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, onion powder, paprika, pepper, potato salad, potatoes, red bliss, relish, rosemary, sage, salt, scallion, scallions, slow-cooked, spiced, spices, sweet corn, vinegarComment

A 12-Spice Program

Cooking InKerry Alaric Cheeseboroblack pepper, brown sugar, cayenne, celery salt, chili, chili powder, cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, Cooking In, corn, cumin, dry rub, fresh cracked, garlic, garlic powder, ground, ground cloves, herbs, mayo, mayonnaise, mustard, onion, onion powder, paprika, pepper, potato salad, potatoes, red bliss, relish, rosemary, sage, salt, scallion, scallions, slow-cooked, spiced, spices, sweet corn, vinegarComment

12-SPICE DRY-RUB PORK SPARERIBS | Red Bliss Potato Salad with Corn

WHO DOESN'T LOVE RIBS? I don't doesn't! (?!) But to truly enjoying them when I have them, I have to have them infrequently. One, for health reasons, of course; and, two, because I tend to enjoy them that much more after a longer absence.

So it comes to about twice a year that I get to have at least a half rack of beef or pork ribs, cooked "low & slow" until rendered fall-off-the-bone tender, juicy, and flavorful—the usual ideal characteristics referenced to RIBS most generally.

At least one of those two times I have to make the ribs myself, yes, a time-intensive, almost full day exercise in preparation and slow-cooking. And don't forget at least one default side to be served with.

From my CRUSHED PEANUT-CRUSTED, CAROLINA-STYLE BBQ SPARERIBS to my boozy BOURBON & COLA BABY BACKS to my SALT & PEPPER BEEF SHORT RIBS, half of the fun of eating these dishes is to try and discover new ways to enjoy one of the country's most commonly revered comfort foods.

And the most addictive part, usually, of a serving of ribs is the sauce. Literally hundreds of sauces that that people step over each over for while salivating uncontrollably.

This time around I was thinking—yes, smack in the middle of this barbecue season—a sauceless version of some pork spareribs. They would instead get their flavor from a signature dry rub mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, granulated onion, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, paprika, brown sugar, ground cloves, cinnamon, and ground sage.

So after wetting the pork spareribs top and bottoms with a mix of cider vinegar and mustard, I liberally sprinkled my dry rub mix on both sides (of course I'm not going to tell you how much of each spice I used!), gave them a healthy rub, massaging the spices into the lean and fatty sections of the rack.

They then get placed in an over preheated to 200° F, and then are left there undisturbed for six hours. Your kitchen, or home (or building, if you live in a small one with small apartments like I do), will smell enticingly awesome the entire time.

During their last half hour of cooking, I very thick-sliced some Red Bliss potatoes, bioled them just through in salted water with rosemary, drained them, and rinsed them in cold water to stop them from cooking further. I then tossed them with salt, fresh-cracked pepper, chopped scallion, cider vinegar, mustard, relish, sweet corn niblets, a bit more rosemary, and, lastly, mayo.

The potato salad went into the fridge to cool, while the ribs—with its meat and fat fully receding of the rib bones—were finally taken out of the oven and set to rest for a couple of minutes.

Then the still hot ribs got placed on a plate with the nicely chilled potato salad, and I let the "food jones" begin.

12-Spice Pork Spareribs

12-Spice Dry-Rub Pork Spareribs

12-Spice Dry-Rub Pork Spareribs

Well, if you don't have any idea what those twelve spices could do with and to pork in general, then my mere words at best couldn't explain the taste nirvana that was this rack of ribs. The "low and slow" cooking of these ribs most advantageous in letting those flavors mix with the pork's fat is it renders and seeps further into the leaner parts of the meat. My five S's of BBQ—SALTY, SWEET, SAVORY, SPICY, SMOKY—well-represented and perfectly-balanced in each tender, juicy, lean, fatty, caramelized bite.

As its compliment, cold firm, large bites of Red Bliss (and doesn't that sound like a drug itself?!) potatoes which have absorbed the heady and sharp acidity of mustard, cider vinegar, and relish help clean the palate of the ribs, richness, while the sweetness of corn, the relish's pickles—and the floral sweetness of scallions and rosemary—adeptly counter the rib's salt, spice, and smoke.

Red Bliss Potato Salad with Corn

Another reason why I don't indulge in my barbecued rib addiction more often, is that I tend to "fiend", overindulging in the moment and never wanting to share. I handily scoffed down the entire rack of spareribs—as well as two servings of the potato salad—in one sitting. But at least this time I didn't feel the same kind of bloated, strung out shame I usually feel having a cup or more of some thick, rich BBQ sauce added to all this already great goodness.

Which means that, now with my dry rub mixture, I can still enjoy all the "highs" and "thrills" of BBQ pork, without having to worry O'-Ding. (Or O'-BBQing...?!) ;)

Bun Apple Tea!

KACNYC

12-SPICE DRY-RUB PORK SPARERIBS | Red Bliss Potato Salad with Corn