Maple-Glazed Ribs

• 2 tablespoons maple sugar, turbinado sugar, or light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crumbled or powdered dried sage
• 2 racks baby back pork ribs (4 to 5 pounds total)
• 1 cup real maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1/2 cup maple sugar or turbinado sugar
• 1 1/2 cups wood chips or chunks (optional; preferably maple), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained

1. Make the rub: Place the maple sugar, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and sage in a small bowl and mix with your fingers, breaking up any lumps in the maple sugar or dry mustard.
2. Prepare the ribs: Place a rack of ribs meat side down on a baking sheet.
3. Remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of the rack by inserting a slender implement, such as a butter knife or the tip of a meat thermometer, under it.
4. The best place to start is on one of the middle bones.
5. Using a dishcloth, paper towel, or pliers to gain a secure grip, peel off the membrane.
6. Repeat with the remaining rack.
7. Sprinkle the rub over both sides of the ribs, rubbing it onto the meat.
8. Cover the ribs with plastic wrap and refrigerate them while you make the glaze and set up the grill.
9. Make the glaze: Place the maple syrup, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, vinegar, and horseradish in a heavy nonreactive saucepan.
10. Bring to a boil over high heat, whisking to mix.
11. Reduce the heat to medium and let the glaze simmer gently until thick and syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes, whisking as needed.
12. Set the glaze aside.
13. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see Notes) and preheat to medium (325 to 350F).
14. Place a large drip pan in the center of the grill under the grate.
15. (For instructions on smoking on a gas grill, see Notes.)
16. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate.
17. Place the ribs bone side down in the center of the grate over the drip pan and away from the heat.
18. (If your grill has limited space, stand the racks of ribs upright in a rib rack; see Notes.)
19. If cooking on a charcoal grill and using wood chips, toss half of them on each mound of coals.
20. Cover the grill and cook the ribs for 45 minutes.
21. Brush the ribs on both sides with some of the maple glaze.
22. Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs until well browned, cooked through, and tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, 30 to 45 minutes longer, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours in all.
23. When the ribs are done, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by about 1/4 inch.
24. Brush the ribs once or twice more with glaze and, if using a charcoal grill, replenish the coals as needed.
25. Just before serving, brush the ribs once more on both sides with maple glaze and sprinkle both sides with the maple sugar.
26. Move the ribs directly over the fire and grill until the glaze is browned and caramelized, 1 to 3 minutes per side.
27. Transfer the ribs to a large platter or cutting board.
28. Let the ribs rest for a few minutes, then cut the racks in half or into individual ribs.
29. Serve at once with any remaining maple glaze on the side.
30. Variation
31. How to cook Maple-Glazed Ribs in a smoker: Set up and light the smoker according to the manufacturers instructions and preheat it to low (225 to 250F).
32. Place the ribs in the smoker bone side down and smoke until cooked through, 4 to 5 hours.
33. Start brushing the ribs with glaze after 2 hours and repeat every 30 minutes.
34. Sprinkle the maple sugar over the ribs 30 minutes before you plan on serving them.
35. Youll need to replenish the wood chips or chunks after the first and second hour of smoking and to replenish the coals every hour.

maple sugar, mustard, coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, sage, baby back pork, maple syrup, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, mustard, cider vinegar, horseradish, maple sugar, wood chips

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/maple-glazed-ribs (may not work)