St. Louis Style Ribs

Instructions

In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine 1/3 cup of the brown sugar with the paprika, chili powder, salt, and mace. Rub the mixture all over the racks of ribs.

Wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

In a large pot over medium-low heat, combine the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar, the molasses, and the vinegar. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring from time to time, until the sauce thickens and the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover the pot to keep the sauce warm.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a rack on it.

Remove plastic wrap from ribs and place them directly on the hot grill and grill them just long enough to flavor and leave a nice dark grill mark without cooking them fully, 5 to 8 minutes per side.

Transfer the rib racks, bone-side up, to the rack. Divvy the warm sauce between two bowls and reserve one bowl for serving. Brush the sauce from the first bowl onto both sides of each rack of ribs.

Cover the whole pan with a layer of foil, crimping it around the edges, and bake the ribs for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and turn the racks over. Wrap the foil back tightly over the ribs (or use a new piece) so they are covered. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the ribs are nicely browned and tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. The meat should come off the bone easily. If it doesn't, cover and bake longer.

Remove the pan from the oven, remove the foil, and let the meat rest for 15 minutes.

Move the racks to a flat surface and cut between the bones to separate each rack into individual ribs. Season the meat with salt. Spoon the reserved sauce over the ribs. Squeeze the lime over them and serve.

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