Elaine,

Will you comment on how you made your ribs? I thought your choice of 'rub' was interesting.

Regards,

Sure,
Mostly I follow Low n Slow for Baby backs
instead of using just yellow mustard to hold the dry rub, I used 1/2 n 1/2 mustard n molasses
then lightly sprinkle on "Elaine's Secret Spices"
it was really good, I think a keeper for me.
Also my personal rub is not quite as spicy as Gary's- it's a list, so I'll PM it to anyone who wants it.
The BBQ sauce was mostly the Classic sauce from Gary's book with no brown sugar, but double molasses, 1/4 cup bourbon, and a diced peach.
I used an immersion blender for a min or two in the sauce at the end.

I smoked the ribs over hickory and cherry for about 3 hours, (foiled them for about 20 min)
then removed the middle section of the WSM, put the top grill over the coals,
painted them with sauce (which I don't usually do,but I wanted to enhance the molasses flavor)
and let them crisp up for about 3-4 min per side. cut them into 2 rib sections , except the fat ends which were like mini pork chops so those I cut in 1 rib sections!
They did turn out nice...
I left a full rack at home for my daughter and 1 son and they ate them all up!

Some details on the skewers:
Chicken Meatballs: About 2lbs chicken breast ground (in Kitchen Aid grinder attachment to the mixer), 2 eggs, about 2/3C panko, lots of minced garlic and ginger, a splash of soy (3 Tbs?) and black pepper. Formed into balls which I realized wouldn't hold together on the skewers, so they were simmered in 3 quarts water to which I added a stalk of celery, 1/4 onion, a dozen peppercorns and 2tsp salt, until they rose to the top.

Squash: This was cut into about 1" chunks, then pre-cooked in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes, then chilled until I was ready with the skewers.

Sauce: 1/2C mirin, 1/2C white miso, 1/4C Tbs gochujang, 6 Tbs molasses, juice of two oranges and the zest from one, 1tsp five spice powder. Simmer and whisk until smooth.

Skewer meatballs and squash on soaked bamboo sticks. Pour about 1/2 the sauce over the skewers in a 9x13 pan, allow it to soak in for a few minutes, then put on a medium-low grill for about five-six minutes per side, brushing any of the glaze that remained in the 9x13 pan onto the meatballs and squash once or twice.

Garnish with minced chives.


Rice Noodle Salad: 3 small bundles of rice vermicelli (1oz each? not sure) that had soaked in hot water for five minutes. Add 2/3 cup kimchi cucumbers (per Momofuku) along with about 1/2C of liquid and pickling "stuff" (garlic, ginger, carrot, etc.), 1 bell pepper diced, 6 reconstituted shiitake mushrooms sliced, 1/4C soy molasses (kecap manis), juice of two limes, 3 Tbs neutral oil.

This Iron Chef challenge is one I remember very fondly. I never knew there was so much could be done with molasses.

Regards,
Cathy2