Grilled Spicy Citrus Ribs with Bourbon Glaze

Ingredients

• 2 racks of ribs, St. Louis-cut spareribs or baby back ribs
• 2 1/2 cups spicy citrus brine
• Oil for the grill grate
• 1 cup spicy bourbon syrup
• 1 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsp Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup bourbon whiskey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter

Directions

1. Make the brine first. Pour the citrus juices and water into a measuring cup and check the amount; you need exactly 2 1/2 cups liquid. If it is short, top it off with water until it reaches 2 1/2 cups. If there is too much, pour off the extra. That liquid-to-salt balance matters here.
2. Transfer the liquid to a medium sized bowl, then add the salt, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Stir for half a minute, until the salt is fully dissolved. For the ribs, you can remove the thin membrane on the concave side of each rack if you like. Slip the edge of a dull knife between the membrane and the ribs to loosen it, then grab the loosened piece and pull it off.
3. Slice each rack in half and place the pieces in a plastic ziplock freezer bag. Pour in the brine, press out the extra air, and seal the bag. Rub the brine around the ribs through the bag, then set the bag in a bowl to catch any leaks and refrigerate.
4. Chill the ribs in the brine for 3-6 hours. Do not go outside the 3-6 hour time frame, since the meat can take on too much brine.
5. Make the bourbon glaze by heating the bourbon with the sugar, peppers, and salt. Whisk in the butter until it melts. Set the glaze aside, or refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks and warm it before using. You can also make it while the ribs cook in the next step.
6. Set up the grill for indirect heat. For a gas grill, bring it to medium heat, 300-325 degrees F, with the center burners off if you have a 3 or 4 burner grill, or with one burner off if you have a 2 burner grill.
7. For a charcoal kettle grill, use 3-4 pounds of briquets and bank them on one side. Place a disposable aluminum drip pan beside the briquets, under the area where the ribs will sit, to make cleanup easier.
8. Take the ribs out of the brine bag and dry them well with paper towels. Brush the grill grates with olive oil or canola oil. Arrange the ribs on the cooler side of the grill, away from the gas flame or briquets, and cover the grill.
9. If you are grilling with gas, turn the burners down as needed so the grill holds about 300 degrees F-325 degrees F.
10. If you are cooking over charcoal, put the lid on so the top vent sits directly above the ribs. That placement draws the smoke from the coals across the meat as it exits the grill.
11. Adjust the vents to reduce the airflow. Smaller openings help hold the heat down, but do not close them so much that the coals fade. You want just enough oxygen to keep the fire going without letting the grill get too hot.
12. Aim to keep the grill around 300 degrees F-325 degrees F. If your charcoal grill does not have a built-in thermometer, you can slide a meat thermometer through the top air vent to check the temperature.
13. After 20-25 minutes on the grill, turn the rib racks with tongs. If you are using charcoal, also rotate the ribs so the ends that were closest to the coals are now pointed toward the outside edge of the grill.
14. After another 15-20 minutes, start checking the ribs with a meat thermometer. They are finished at 155 degrees F, but you want to catch them about 10 minutes before that point so there is time to add the glaze.
15. When the ribs reach about 145 degrees F, begin brushing them with the spicy bourbon glaze. Turn and baste the ribs until all the syrup has been used. Once an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ribs shows 155 degrees F, take them off the grill.
16. Depending on your grill heat and the size of the racks, the ribs may be ready in as little as 45 minutes or may take as long as 1 1/2 hours. If the grill is running closer to 350 degrees F, they will cook more quickly. A charcoal grill can be difficult to hold below 350 degrees F, though for these ribs the better target is closer to 300 degrees F. Baby back ribs are smaller than St. Louis style ribs, so they will finish sooner.
17. Move the ribs to a large serving platter and cut them into 1 or 2-rib sections.