FAST TRACK BABY BACK RIBS
From Andrea Immer's Everyday Dining With Wine

SERVES SIX

When I want barbecued ribs but I don't have a lot of time, I choose baby backs. The ribs are smaller, so they need less time on the grill to cook through, and are less tough, so they don't need hours of slow cooking to make them tender. To really put them on the fast track, I brine the ribs ahead of time with a wine-infused brine, which makes them cook even more quickly and plumps up the meat with extra juiciness and flavor. Most any aromatic wine is wonderful with the dish. (The wine you choose for the brine need not be the wine you plan to pair with the meal.) There are two particularly great ways to go here: A slightly sweet Riesling or Chenin Blanc will temper the peppery heat of the rub; a completely dry Austrian Grüner­Veltliner has a white pepper/herbal character of its own that compliments the rub's spicy-herbal elements. Each of these wine styles has great acidity to cut through the ribs' fatty richness, just as beer, with its hops flavor, cleanses the palate after every bit.

WINE RECOMMENDATIONS

SLIGHTLY SWEET RIESLING

. Dr. Loosen Estate, Lingenfelder Bird Label (Germany)
.Hogue Fruit Forward, Columbia Winery (Washington State)
.Slightly sweet Chenin Blanc: Sutter Home (Califomia)
.Huet or Prince Poniatowsky Vouvray demi-sec (France)

AUSTRIAN GRUNER-VEL TLINER

. Walter Glatzer
. Erich Salomon
. Prager
. Pichler


FOR THE BRINE

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves, broken

1-cup aromatic white wine such as

Riesling, Chenin Blanc, or Grüner­Veltliner (leftover is fine)

FOR THE SEASONING RUB

1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seed
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns 1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 slabs of baby back ribs, about 3 pounds


1. PREPARE THE BRINE:

Combine the salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns, hot red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and 2 cups hot water in a large bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add the wine and 5 cups of ice water and stir to combine.

Place the ribs in a large non-reactive baking dish. Pour the brine over the ribs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove the ribs from the brine, rinse well under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. (Brined ribs maybe wrapped in plastic and refrigerated overnight.)

2. PREP ARE THE SPICE RUB:

Heat a heavy, dry saucepan on medium-high. Add the coriander and mustard seeds, and the whole peppercorns and toast, shaking the pan, until fragrant. Grind the toasted spices in a spice grinder or small coffee grinder. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and granulated sugar.

 

3. Rub both sides of the rib slabs with the seasoning rub and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat a gas grill to medium-high and lightly oil the grill rack to prevent sticking.

 

4. Place the ribs on the grill, meat-side down, and grill covered, for 10 minutes, checking frequently and reducing the heat slightly to control excessive flame-ups (a little bit of charring will give the ribs a nice flavor, but you don't want to blacken them completely). Turn the ribs racks and grill, covered, until cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.