Fennel Garlic Spare Ribs

Recipes from the past:

• Date and Mushroom Stuffed Elk Roast
  
• Fennel Rhubarb Pork Roast
• Rosemary Thyme Butternut Squash

Ribs are a favorite of mine on the pellet grill, but our family isn’t all that fond of most barbeque sauces.  So instead of using some sort of sauce for basting, I usually use some sort of dry rub to compliment the smoke to provide all of the flavor.  This recipe was a new one I tried recently that is definitely a new favorite.

Gather Up:

• 4 to 5 lbs pork spare ribs, silver skin removed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp whole fennel seed
• 1-1/2 tsp dried rosemary (crush in mortar and pestle)
• 1-1/2 tsp whole mustard seed
• 2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground fennel seed (I grind whole ones in a mortar and pestle)
• 1 tsp ground anise seed  (I grind whole ones in a mortar and pestle)

Combine all of the rub ingredients in a prep bowl and mix well.

Coat the ribs with olive oil, then sprinkle on all sides with the rub ingredients. Cover and refrigerate between 4 and 24 hours, removing from the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking.

Set your grill up for smoking at a temperature around 185 degrees.  Place the ribs with the curve “up” on the grill and cover.  Set a timer for 20 minutes.

Increase the heat to 220 degrees and cook an additional 20 minutes.  Then turn the ribs over and stoke the grill up to 275 degrees.  Cook 20 minutes longer.  Turn the ribs back over and cook for another 20 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and a quick read thermometer reads 170 degrees internal.

Remove from the grill and tent with foil for about 5 minutes while getting everything else ready to serve.  Slice between the ribs to separate, and serve warm.