St. Louis-Style Pork Ribs with Soy-Ginger BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

Ribs

• 2 racks of spare ribs, removed from the brisket (approximately 1.3 - 1.4 kg each)
• 2 tbsp. any whiskey or bourbon (optional)
• 2 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. ground ginger
• 1 tbsp. l. smoked paprika

Barbecue sauce

• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp. any whiskey or bourbon (optional)
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 0.5 cup brown sugar
• 0.5 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup lightly salted soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp Asian hot chili sauce with garlic

Preparation:

1. Place the ribs bone-side up on a work surface. Insert the tip of a knife at one end of the ribs between the membrane and the bones to loosen the membrane, then remove it. Turn the ribs over so the meaty side is facing up. Rub each rib slab with 1 tablespoon of whiskey, if using. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, 5 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, ground ginger, and paprika. Rub the ribs on both sides with the spice mixture. Wrap each rib slab in two layers of heavy-duty foil, making sure the seams are on opposite sides to prevent leaks. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the grill to medium heat (350°F (175°C) for a gas grill or 330°F (165°C) for a charcoal grill). Place the foil-wrapped ribs on the grill, meaty side down. Grill, turning the ribs every 30 minutes, until the meat is tender but not falling apart and a knife inserted into the meat slides easily, 1 to 1.5 hours. When grilling on a charcoal grill, add more coals as needed to maintain a temperature of 300°F (150°C) to 310°F (160°C).
3. Meanwhile, prepare the barbecue sauce.Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and fresh ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to darken, 5-6 minutes. If using whiskey, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the alcohol, then return to the heat and cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup water, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, hot garlic sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 30 minutes; you should have about 1.5 cups of sauce. Pour it into a blender and blend until smooth. You can make the sauce up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate until ready to use. Divide the sauce between 2 bowls: half for grilling the ribs, the other half for serving.
5. When the ribs are done, transfer them to a baking sheet. Unwrap and discard the foil and any excess juices. Brush the meat side of the ribs with barbecue sauce and return them to the grill, meat side up. Cover and grill, moving the ribs as needed to prevent flare-ups, until the sauce is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Brush the ribs with more sauce, flip, and grill until lightly charred, 2-3 minutes.
6. Flip the ribs over so they're meaty side up again, brush with sauce again, and cook for another 5 minutes. Flip the ribs over again and brush the bone-side with sauce, then flip again and brush the meaty side a final time. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.
7. Cut the steaks into individual ribs. Serve with the reserved barbecue sauce.