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Blacken beef ribs. You won't find them
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just anywhere. This is a Louisiana
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special. Down here, we do ribs
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differently. Sure, other folks grill or
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smoke them, but we we blacken them. We
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give them bark, bold flavor, and deep
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soul. We soak them in tradition, spicy,
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smoky, meaty, and unapologetically
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Cajun. Let's talk seasoning. The soul of
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this dish. We're starting with a bold
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homemade blackening blend packed with
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flavor. It includes salt for balance,
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smoky paprika and cayenne pepper for
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that signature Cajun heat. Then we add
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aromatic onion powder and garlic powder
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to layer in savory depth. To round
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things out, we use both white and black
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pepper for a complex bite, plus dried
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thyme and oregano to bring in earthy
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herbal notes. It's a seasoning that
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delivers on every level, heat, depth,
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and aroma. Don't worry about needing
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fancy equipment. All it takes is a
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mixing bowl and a whisk to bring it all
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together. Once it's well blended and
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every spice is evenly distributed, be
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sure to scoop out a couple teaspoons and
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set it aside. We'll use that later to
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add a punch of flavor to our homemade
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barbecue sauce. Next up, prepping the
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ribs. Take a close look and you'll
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likely notice a thin silvery membrane on
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the back. That's the silver skin. It's
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tough, chewy, and doesn't break down
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during cooking, which means it can mess
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with that tender bite you're aiming for.
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Removing it allows your seasoning to
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penetrate better and ensures the meat
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cooks more evenly. Clean ribs mean
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better texture, more flavor, and a bite
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that melts in your mouth. No toothpicks
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required. So, don't skip this step. It's
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one of those little chef secrets that
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make a big difference in the final
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result. Clean ribs equal great ribs.
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Now, season generously. And when I say
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generous, I mean it. Don't just dust it.
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Rub it in. Cover every inch. Even the
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bones. They won't get eaten, but the
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flavor will penetrate everything. Then
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comes the butter. Melted and brushed all
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over. It acts like glue for that
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blackening seasoning. It's the fat you
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need for a proper blackening along with
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that spice blend and high heat. But
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we're doing this low and slow. As the
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ribs cook, they'll darken and develop
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that signature blacken crust over time.
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Once the ribs are seasoned and buttered,
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let them sit at room temperature for an
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hour. That gives the seasoning time to
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mingle with the meat. Meanwhile, get
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your smoker going. Here's a tip. Most of
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that rich smoky flavor, it develops in
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the first 30 to 45 minutes. So, don't
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stress about keeping the smoke going all
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day. We'll smoke these beef ribs for
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about 45 minutes over hickory and never
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mosquite. Just get a good fire going.
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Hit 300° and you're set. Place the ribs
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on the grill over indirect heat with the
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large bone facing the heat. Cover it up
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and let it roll low and slow. Aim for
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275 to 300° for 4 hours. Now, let's make
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that barbecue sauce. And we start right
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with ketchup, not tomato sauce. Add
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worshure sauce for depth. A splash of
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vinegar for tang. And since we're from
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Louisiana, we sweeten it with sugar cane
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syrup. If you don't have that, honey or
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agave works just fine. Simmer it all
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together until thick, rich, and smoky
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sweet. You'll know it's ready when you
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can run a spoon through it and see the
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bottom of the pan. Back to the ribs.
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After 4 hours, they're looking
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beautiful. You'll see the meat pulling
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from the bones and the bark forming on
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top. Rotate them to ensure even cooking
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and let them go another 2 hours. We're
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using beef short plate ribs for this,
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the big meaty kind you won't find in
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most supermarkets. You'll have to ask
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your butcher. These are Fred Flintstone
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approved ribs and worth the effort. At
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the 6-hour mark, check for tenderness.
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Slide a knife in near the bone. If it
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glides in easily, you're good to go.
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Now, it's time to plate up. Slice along
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the bone, and you'll see that juicy,
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tender meat just falling apart. Perfect
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bark, rich flavor, and the kind of rib
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you'll be thinking about for days. I
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remember the first dish I ever cooked in
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culinary school. It was a gamble. I
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picked a recipe. I thought I understood
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but really didn't set. When it came time
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to taste it, the whole room went quiet.
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That sip's how I knew I got it right.
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Silence. When everyone sips chewing,
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that sips deliciousness. And these ribs,
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wo, they're exactly that. Juicy,
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blacken, smoky, and dripping in that
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thick sauce. It's a flavor that makes
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people stop talking and just enjoy. So
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try it yourself. Follow the steps, feel
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the flavor, and bring a little bit of
