Published January 1, 2006.
To replicate the deep, rich flavor of outdoor barbecued ribs indoors, we rejected stovetop smokers in favor the oven, which better contained the smoke and was able to accommodate the ribs in our spareribs recipe in one batch. To replace the wood chips of a stovetop smoker, our oven-barbecued spareribs recipe used smoldering and strong-tasting Lapsang Souchong tea, which added a rich smokiness to the meat.
To make this recipe, you will need a baking stone, a sturdy baking sheet with a 1-inch rim, and a wire cooling rack that fits inside it. It’s fine if the ribs overlap slightly on the rack. In step 1, removing the surface fat keeps the ribs from being too greasy. And, removing the membrane from the ribs allows the smoke to penetrate both sides of the racks and also makes the ribs easier to eat. Note that the ribs must be coated with the rub and refrigerated at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours ahead of cooking. Be careful when opening the crimped foil to add the juice, as hot steam and smoke will billow out.
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