BBQ Pork Ribs | American BBQ Classics

Method

Make the BBQ rub

1. Combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder until evenly mixed.
2. You will only need enough to coat the pork belly liberally. Keep the rest in a sealed container somewhere cool and dry for another cook. You will also need 15g of the rub for the Tennessee BBQ sauce.

Make the Tennessee BBQ sauce

1. Put the ketchup, water, cider vinegar, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and BBQ rub into a saucepan.
2. Cook gently over a low heat, stirring regularly, until the sugar has dissolved and everything has combined into a smooth sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.
3. The sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

Prepare the pork belly

1. Trim away any untidy pieces or excess fat, but keep the belly thick.
2. Sprinkle the BBQ rub liberally all over the pork, making sure it is evenly coated.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight if possible.
4. Take the pork out of the fridge around 30 minutes before cooking.

Set up your Charlie Oven

1. Light the Charlie Oven and bring it to 150°C/300°F. Place a cooking rack high in the oven so the pork sits well above the charcoal.
2. Just before the pork goes in, add a small chunk of applewood directly to the hot charcoal. This gives the pork a gentle smoky flavour during the first part of the cook.

Cook the pork belly

1. Place the whole pork belly on the upper rack, then close the door.
2. Cook for around 4 hours at 150°C/300°F, keeping the temperature as steady as possible.
   240 min
3. Remove the pork and brush it generously all over with the Tennessee BBQ sauce.
4. Wrap the pork tightly in food-grade butcher’s paper.
5. Return it to the Charlie Oven and cook for a further 1 hour.
6. Remove the wrapped pork from the oven and leave it to rest in the butcher’s paper for 1 hour.
   60 min
7. Unwrap the pork and carve between the bones into thick individual ribs.
8. Brush with a little more warm Tennessee BBQ sauce before serving if you like them extra sticky.

Why rest pork belly in butcher’s paper?

1. The rest gives the meat time to relax and the juices time to settle after the long cook. Butcher’s paper holds enough heat around the pork without trapping as much steam as foil, helping to keep the meat juicy without making the outside soggy.

Why wrap pork belly in butcher’s paper?

1. Butcher’s paper protects the pork during the final stage of cooking while allowing some moisture to escape. It also works well during resting because it helps prevent the meat from sweating or drying out.