Grilled Glazed Baby Back Ribs

SERVES 8......TIME 2 1/2 HOURS

You'll need a sturdy drip pan to go under the cooking grate.

5 lbs. pork baby back ribs, cut into half racks if needed to fit grill

4 tsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne

TRY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING GLAZES:

Sticky Brown Sugar (addictively sweet-spicy) : In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar, 3 tbsp. each: cider vinegar and beer or water, 1 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes (1/2 for mild version), and 1 tsp. dry mustard. Makes enough for 5 lbs baby back ribs.

Glaze, Zaatar Glaze (Zaatar is a Middle Eastern spice blend) : In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup each: sesame seeds, ground sumac*, olive oil, and honey: 1/2 cup water: 1 1/2 tbsp. each: dried thyme and marjoram: and 1tsp. kosher salt. Makes eniugh for 5 lbs. baby back ribs. *Buy this ground, dried tart berry in the spice aisle of the well stocked supermarkets.

Brasil Chile Lemonade Glaze (Tart, spicy, and aromatic) : In a medium bowl, combine 3/4 cup(6oz) thawed frozen lemonade concentrate, 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, 1 tbsp. olive oil, finely shredded zest of 4 lemons, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, and 1 1/2 tsp. red chile flakes. Makes enough for 5 lbs. baby back ribs.

PREPARATION:

Remove the membrane from underside of ribs: Slide a screwdriver tip along eachbone and under one end of membrane to loosen, then grab membrane with a paper towel and pull off (it's okay if membrane breaks and bits remain).
In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, and cayenne. Put ribs on a baking sheet and sprinkle on both sides with salt mixture. Snugly wrap each rack in heavy duty foil. Let sit 30 minutes at room temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal or gas grill for inderect medium-low heat (300-350degress): you should be able to hold your hand 5 in. above the cooking grate only 6 to 7 seconds. If using charcoal, light 60 briquets in a chimney on firegrate. When charcoals are covered with ash, about 20 minutes, bank evenly on opposite sides of firegate and let burn to medium-low. Set a sturdy drip pan on grate between mounds. The area over the drip pan is the inderect heat area. Add 3 or 4 more unlit briquets to each mound when ribs go on and every 30 minutes while cooking. If using GAS, turn all burners to high, close lid, and heat 10 minutes. Then turn center burners OFF and reduce heat of the burners to medium-low. Place a sturdy drip pan under the ribs below burners. The area above the drip pan is the indirect heat area.
Place rib packets, bone side down, on cooking grate over indirect heat, over laping slightly if necessary. Cover grill and cook ribs until fairly tender when pierced through foil, 50 to 70 minutes.
Transfer rib packets to a rimmed pan. Carefully remove ribs from foil. Set ribs, bone side up, on the grill over indirect heat.
Spoon about 1/4 cup glaaze into a small bowl and set asside. Using a silicone brush, baste ribs with remaining glaze. Cover grill and cook ribs 10 minutes. Brush melted glaze from center of each rack up along sides of meat, turn ribs over, and baste with more glaze. Repeat brushing and turning every 10 minutes until ribs are browned and tender and meat has shrunk back from ends of the bones, 30 to 40 minutes total.
Remove ribs from grill. Cover loosely eith foil and let sit about 10 minutes. stir reserved 1/4 cup glaze and brush over ribs. Cut between bones to serve.

PER SERVING: 615 cal(sticky brown sugar glaze) 690 cal(zaatar glaze) 555cal( basil chile lemonade glaze)