Mr. Kirt’s Dry-Rub Ribs
Photograph and Styling by Lori Pedrick
Meeting Mr. Kirt
I met Mr. Kirt on a warm sunny afternoon on Newbury Street in Boston. He is a 20 something-year-old man with long, gorgeous, wavy blonde-hair and piercing blue eyes. Kirt had been coming to Common Cathedral every Wednesday for weeks before I had the chance to meet him. On this day, he was standing alone just a few steps away when I noticed him. His vibrant yet contained energy was magnetic. I wanted to find out what his favorite food memory was so that I could make it for him. Despite my concerns of how he might receive my inquiry, his sweet and approachable smile allowed me to invite him into conversation. I explain what I was doing, as he was to be my first “WISHDISH” recipient. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to spend a few moments talking about his favorite dish. As it turns out, Kirt loves ribs. He even has his own favorite recipe for a delicious dry-rub. “I’d love to have some ribs!,” he exclaimed. He then he began to extemporaneously recite his unique dry-rub recipe to me. “Brown sugar,” was his first ingredient (this was an unwavering certainty for him). The next ingredient came a little slower with a little less confidence. “Well, definitely some salt, and, oh yes, some pepper.” Then another pause. “How about some nutmeg? Yeah, maybe a little nutmeg, not too much though.” An even longer moment of quiet. "Probably something hot or spicy, a little pepper, oh yes, cherry pepper!” “Anything else,” I asked? “Nope, I think that’ll do it … yep, that’ll do it.” I was able to interpret his dry-rub and prepare several batches of ribs to be shared with Mr. Kirt and the other guests. When I arrived with his ribs the following week, he was anxiously waiting on the steps outside of the building. Judging by the look of satisfaction on his face at first bite, I was assured that my interpretation of his recipe had been approved. Kirt has an amazingly gentle and kind soul. I adore him and continually look forward to seeing him each week when I return.
Mr. Kirt’s Dry Rub Ribs
Preparation time: 1 hour prep; 2-3 hours for baking (plus grilling to preferred charring)
Having tried different permutations and combinations of dry rubs throughout my experience as a cook and caterer, I concur with Mr. Kirt’s recipe design. To me, this insanely delicious dry rub is a perfect balance of sweet and salty, savory flavors that gives a kick but isn’t overly spicy. This mix of ingredients makes a dry rub that is perfect for the long, low and slow cooking method, that ribs require. The emphasis on the sugar is atypical of many rubs, the abundance of sweet allows the ingredients to slowly caramelize over a long cook. Most often brown sugar is chosen for the leading role, Kirt seemed to have an intuitive sense of this. He acknowledged that he had not spent too much time in a kitchen and certainly in no way was a self-proclaimed foodie, but his intuitive recollection of the tastes he craved were spot on. His enthusiasm and his love of barbequed ribs was apparent. His willingness to share his food memory is a story that we can all enjoy (and even make ourselves in his honor).
Make the Dry-Rub:
• 10 tbsp. Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp. Kosher Salt
• 2 tbsp. Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp. Ground Nutmeg
• 1 tbsp. Diced Cherry Pepper (can substitute ground Cayenne Pepper)
Note: use 1 tbsp. of dry-rub mixture per side of each rack of ribs (2 tbsp. per rack)
Instructions:
In a small bowl, mix the dry rub ingredients together until they are well integrated. Rub olive oil or your favorite mustard on both sides of your rack. This will help your dry rub adhere to the rack. Generously coat both sides of the rack of ribs (pork or beef) with the dry rub. This recipe will cover approximately 5-6 racks. Cover the ribs with foil and set aside for 30-minutes to allow time for the meat to absorb the seasoning. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 350 degrees. Once the meat has had time to absorb the spices and your oven has reached peak temperature, place your foil covered ribs on the center rack and bake for 2-3 hours until tender and cooked-through. Optional: add BBQ sauce if desired and place your baked ribs on an open-flamed BBQ grill set to high heat for 5 minutes per side until desired char is achieved. The meat should be soft and juicy and fall-off-the-bone. Makes enough rub for 7-8 racks.
