INSTRUCTIONS
1. Fire up your grill to between 200 °F and 250 °F.
2. Season each slab with Rodney's Rib Rub and make sure you get under the flap, the little piece of meat that dangles on the bone side of the ribs.
3. Place the seasoned ribs on the grill grate bone-side down, with the fatty end toward the middle of the grill. The middle of the grill tends to be hotter, so that will ensure that the thicker part of the rib gets cooked properly. Close the grill and cook: You are looking for caramelization on the ribs before you flip them. That should take about 1 ½ hours. Open the grill and look for caramelization on the bone.
4. If it's ready, use the mop-flip-mop method:. Put one cup of Rodney's Sauce (recipe below) to the side for serving with the ribs. Use the remaining cup to use the "mop, flip, mop" method by brushing or mopping the meat side with sauce then flipping the ribs over so that they are bone-side up. Mop the ribs again. Close the grill.
5. Bring the grill back up to a temperature between 200 °F to 250 °F. Cook the ribs until the second side gets that same caramelized look. To check doneness, we pick up a slab of ribs with a pair of tongs and check how much give there is. When you pick the slab up, it should sag or flop easily. If a slight tear develops in the meat between the bones, that's another sign of doneness.
[For the Rib Rub]
6. Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months
[For Rodney's Sauce]
7. In a small stockpot, warm the vinegar over medium-high heat. After about 5 minutes, when the vinegar reaches 150 °F on an instant-read thermometer, just before it starts to simmer, add the lemon slices and continue to cook until the lemon peels begin to soften and wilt, about 10 minutes more.
8. Whisk in the black pepper, cayenne, pepper flakes, and sugar. Continue to cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the sauce reaches 190 °F, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to completely cool before using. Once the lemon is removed, the sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 8 weeks
