Tickle Rib BBQ - Dry Rub Boneless Country Style Ribs

     Rib tickle BBQ, tickle rib BBQ and dry rub BBQ are all the same thing.  Some old time BBQ cooks used to call dry rub BBQ by the word tickle.  Ribs are a ticklish spot for both humans and animals.  The place on a pig where boneless country ribs come from is a actually a good ticklish spot!
     I have no idea how many readers of this food site have tickled a pig or piglet.  Some pigs can be kind of mean, but most are too lazy to stir up.  Piglets are playful and fun.  Piglets react to being tickled, just like dogs or humans do.  It is a funny sight to see
    A family member of mine had the biggest pig and turkey farm in Indiana.  The kids used to play with the piglets.  The big mama pig would smile when she saw her piglets having fun!  Piglets are full of energy and the kids got tired of playing, long before the piglets ran out of energy.  It is all part of good old fashioned fun!
     County and state fairs are a good place for young children to get the chance to play with piglets.  Kids petting zoo areas are prime attractions at a state fair.  Livestock shows and pig races are great summer fun!  The pictures above are from the Maryland State Fair at the Timonium Fairgrounds.  There actually was a full scale pig race course at this fair!
     Memphis style dry rub BBQ is the most famous dry rub BBQ of them all.  All other dry rub BBQ falls in its shadow, except for Texas BBQ beef brisket.  The two spice mixtures have completely different flavors.  I posted recipes for both of those dry rub BBQ styles.
     Dry rub BBQ is nothing new.  There are hundreds of dry rub BBQ spice mix recipes.  There are tons of dry rub BBQ spice products in stores.  Making your own dry rub BBQ seasoning is like making your own BBQ sauce.  A good dry rub BBQ spice mix can earn bragging rights when it turns out to be tasty and it is well liked by guests!
     Southwestern dry rub BBQ mixtures have more Mexican spice flavor and they can be spicy hot.  Texas BBQ beef brisket is a good example.  Hot pepper rubs are common everywhere.  Garlic pepper rubs and dry mustard rubs are popular too.  Many BBQ cooks from the mediterranean region like to rub the pork ribs with curry powder.  I have worked in several Italian restaurants that rubbed pork ribs with curry powder before roasting and saucing.
     Today's Tickle Rib BBQ dry rub mixture is a nice creation that is not too far from the norm.  The seasonings all work together to create a nice classic dry rub BBQ flavor.
     Country style ribs are actually a cut of pork that is around the pork shoulder by the rib cage.  Country style rib meat is very tender and juicy after slow roasting.  There are a few streaks of fat in country rib meat that keep the meat tender.  Country style ribs usually have no bones or just a couple of the last few bones on a rib cage.  Country style ribs are not considered to be true ribs, but it is a nice section of pork for dry rub BBQ slow roasting.
     
     Tickle Rib BBQ Dry Rub Spice Mixture:
     This recipe makes enough to seasoning an 8 to 10 ounce portion of country style pork ribs!  Add or multiply if you need more.
     Place 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder into a mixing bowl.
     Add 1 teaspoon of onion powder.
     Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
     Add 1 teaspoon of paprika.
     Add 1 teaspoon of ground anatto.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of ancho chile powder.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of coriander.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 tablespoon of sugar.
     Stir the dry rub BBQ mixture together.
     
     Tickle Rib BBQ - Dry Rub Boneless Country Style Ribs:
     Dredge an 8 ounce piece of country style rib in the dry rub seasoning.
     Press the dry rub BBQ seasoning onto the pork meat.
     Rub the seasoning on the pork country ribs with pressure from your fingers.
     Brush off any excess dry rub spices from the pork country rib.  There should be just a thin coating of the dry rub BBQ spices on the meat.
     Set the dry rubbed country rib section in a refrigerator.
     Let the seasoning flavor the meat for 2 hours.
     Note:  A few methods can be used to slow roast the dry rub country style ribs.  A meat smoker set from 250º to 275º can be used.  A mixture of 3 parts white oak and 1 part hickory produces a good smoke.  There should only be a trickle of smoke flowing through the smoking chamber.
      An oven that is set to 275º can be used for indoor cooking.  
      A char grill can also be used.  A covered char grill that is about 275º in the chamber is okay.  The meat should be placed on the highest roasting rack above the coals.  Be sure that the vents are partially open, so some smoke is trapped under the char grill cover.
     Slowly roast the tickled dry rub country rib, till it becomes fully cooked and tender.  The meat should be moist after roasting, so try to avoid over roasting, or the meat will become dry.  Once a probe thermometer reads 145º, the meat is safe to eat, but it will need to roast longer so the full flavor will develop an so the meat becomes tender.  Once the meat cooks to 165º to 170º, the country style rib meat should be tender and juicy.
     Keep the roasted smoked tickle rib BBQ country rib warm in a roasting pan.  A temperature of 135º to 140º is a Servsafe holding temperature.  Partially cover the country pork rib section.  Keep the meat warm at this temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, so the meat becomes even more tender.  Sprinkle a few drops of water in the pan to create moisture every so often.
   
     Hot Pepper Vinegar:

     This recipe makes 3 to 4 servings!  Pepper vinegar is an old time southern BBQ favorite.  A thin spicy vinegar sauce is perfect with dry rub BBQ!

     Korean or Thai style red serrano pepper paste or sambal can usually be found in the asian food aisle of a grocery store or at an asian market.

     Place 2 ounces of rice vinegar in a small sauce pot.

     Add 1 ounce of water.  Add 1 extra ounce of water if you prefer a milder vinegar bite.

     Add sea salt.

     Add 1 ounce of red serrano chile pepper paste.

     Heat the sauce pot over low heat, till the flavors meld.

     Cool the hot pepper vinegar to room temperature.
     
     Presentation:
     Place the Tickle Rib BBQ Boneless Country Style Ribs on a cutting board.
     Cut the tickle rib BBQ into thin slices.
     Overlap the slices on a plate.
     Serve with a ramekin of the hot pepper vinegar.
     Serve with pickles and chipped fried potatoes or your favorite BBQ fixings!
     Garnish the plate with a parsley sprig.
     
     A thick rich BBQ sauce would overwhelm the flavor of the dry rub BBQ.  The pepper vinegar is just right.  This is a tasty style of BBQ that will tickle you pink!  Yum!  ...  Shawna