Grilled Spareribs with Fennel Seeds and Herbs

Source: Sunset Magazine
1.5 T kosher salt
1 T each fennel seeds, chopped garlic and  chopped fresh rosemary
1 t chopped fresh sage
2 t each pepper and sweet paprika, chopped fresh thyme leaves and ground fennel seeds
2 racks of pork spareribs trimmed St. Louis style, membrane removed, cut into 8-9 inch portions
2 T olive oil

Combine all ingredients except ribs and oil in a bowl.  Rub ribs all over with oil, and smear with seasonings, putting most on meaty side.  Chill airtight at least 4 and up to 24 hours; let sit at room temperature during last hour.  Meanwhile, scrunch each of 5 (1.5 ft) sheets of foil into a log about 9 in long.  Prepare grill for low (250 to 300) with a burner turned off to make an indirect heat area.  Put a pan in the indirect heat area.  Set ribs with bone tips upright over drip pan, arranging foil logs  between ribs to hold them up.  Grill, covered, until meat is very tender and shrinks back from tips of bones, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours.  Transfer ribs to a rimmed baking sheet and cover with foil.  Let rest about 10 minutes.

I don't eat ribs a lot.  In fact, I hardly ever eat them.  I know they are fatty, and not really good for you, so I might have them once every few years.  Plus, cooking them intimidates me a lot.  Finally, it's winter time, not exactly grilling season, and I don't have an outdoor grill.  This recipe had al kinds of complicated instructions ....so many reasons not to do it.  But, isn't it what this challenge is all about?  Doing things that are intimidating ... even if you fail occasionally?  So I clipped this recipe and waited for the right time to try it.  Then, when I was at Whole Foods yesterday, St. Louis style spare ribs were on sale.  I took that as I sign.

I forgot the garlic from the rub.  I used dried rosemary  (remember that dried herbs are more potent, so I used 1 teaspoon).  And finally, I omitted the ground fennel seeds.  I don't really care for fennel, so I didn't think it was a big issue -- frankly I was just too lazy to grind up the fennel seeds, and I didn't think I would miss it.

I made a big mess with rubbing the ribs with the seasonings, put them in two gallon sized zip lock bags, and put them in the fridge.  Then, I took the easy way out, and them them over to the neighbor's house, and let him deal with the grilling portion.  Then, another curveball -- neighbor's grill also not working -- we are left with out of town third neighbor's grill.....  at that point, we've made the decision to just use the oven.  Long story short -- we put the ribs on racks over a a sheet pan, covered with tinfoil, and baked at 300 degrees for   2 hours and 15 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking, and removing the tinfoil for the last 10 minutes.

These ribs were delicious -- fatty, tender, juicy, salty -- absolutely dynamite.  I will spare you all the nutritional info -- it't not pretty.  Suffice to say that this is a "sometimes" food.  Absolute hit.  Go ahead and follow the recipe directions if you want -- in fact, let me know how those work out.  But if you want to take it easy -- shove these guys in the oven like I did, and have a delicious dinner any time of the year.