A Good Ribbing

This was my first rack of true bbq ribs- never had a smoker with which to cook them properly before! I coated them in a dry rub of cumin, ginger, garlic and onion powder, sweet paprika, chili powder, cinnamon, coriander, pepper, and salt. They were then wrapped in cheesecloth so that the smoke would not darken them too much during cooking. They stayed in the smoker for five hours at between 170 and 220 degrees F until the thermometer indicated that they were done in several spots.

The ribs were then covered with a home-made honey molasses bbq sauce made with carmelized onions and garlic. The meat was lovely and honestly the most delicious pork I've ever had- very tender and sweet, although it was not falling off of the bone.

The smoked salmon was brined for an hour first with ginger and brown sugar. It turned out a little milder than I had wished, but I think next time I won't wash all of the brine off of it to leave a little of the salty flavor. Last time, I didn't rinse it and it was a little too salty, this time not enough...I'll find a happy medium somewhere! It's still very good on crackers with a little feta or tomato.