Texas-style ribs that will melt in your mouth

In a special week-long series called "Ribs 5 Ways in 5 Days," "Today" goes in search of the best-tasting ribs from around the country. Day two takes viewers to Dallas, Texas, where Kent Rathbun, executive chef of the Abacus and Jasper's restaurants, was invited to share his barbecue secrets. Here are the recipes:

Ancho Barbecue Sauce
Serving size: 8
Preparation time: 2 hours

1 cup onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 ounces bacon fat
2 each ancho chili, stemmed and seeded
1 tablespoon chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce)
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 each bay leaf
4 tablespoons champagne wine vinegar
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups orange juice
1 each smoked ham hocks
4 cups ketchup
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
2 each limes, juiced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper

1. In a smoker, smoke onions and garlic for one hour.
2. In a large sauce pot, add bacon fat and saute onions and garlic until caramelized.
3. Add ancho chilies, chipotle peppers, chili de arbol, black peppercorns and bay leaf.
4. Deglaze with champagne vinegar, Worcestershire and orange juice and reduce by 2/3.
5. Add ham hock and ketchup, and cook on very low heat until smoky flavor develops, approximately 60 minutes.
6. Finish with Tabasco sauce and lime juice.
7. Steep cilantro for 10 minutes.
8. Pass through a large hole china cap and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
9. Serve.

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Texas Peach Barbecue Sauce
Serving size: 8
Preparation time: 2 hours

1 cup onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 ounces bacon fat
2 cups peaches (fresh), peeled and chopped
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 tablespoons champagne wine vinegar
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups orange juice
1 each smoked ham hock
4 cups ketchup
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper

1. In a smoker, smoke onions and garlic for 1 hour.
2. In a large sauce pot, add bacon fat and saute onions and garlic until caramelized.
3. Add peaches, brown sugar, black peppercorns and bay leaf.
4. Deglaze with champagne vinegar, Worcestershire and orange juice and reduce by 2/3.
5. Add ham hock and ketchup, and cook on very low heat until smoky flavor develops, approximately 60 minutes.
6. Finish with Tabasco sauce and lime juice.
7. Steep cilantro for 10 minutes.
8. Pass through a large hole china cap and season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. 9. Serve.

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Texas Style Beef Ribs
Serving size: 8
Preparation time: 5 hours

For the baste:
1 cup Ancho Barbecue Sauce (see recipe above)
2  cups champagne wine vinegar

For the ribs:
8 racks beef ribs (4 bones each)
4 ounces olive oil
1/2 cup Rathbun family barbecue rub (see recipe below)

For the baste:
1. Mix together the barbecue sauce and vinegar. Set aside.

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For the ribs:
1. On a large sheet pan, rub the racks with olive oil and season with the barbecue rub, making sure all sides are covered.
2. On a medium to low-temperature wood grill (about 225 degrees), place the ribs on the grill and slow cook the ribs on both sides.
3. While the ribs are cooking begin to baste the ribs with the barbecue baste. Continue to cook and turn the racks so they don’t get too charred.
4. Once the meat can be pulled away from the bone and the meat starts to become tender, remove from heat and serve. This process should take 2 to 3 hours. (Remember: Good ribs take time.)

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Hickory Smoked Brisket
Serving size: 8
Preparation time: 5 hours

For the baste:
1 cup ancho barbeque sauce (see recipe above)
2 cups champagne wine vinegar

For the brisket:
1 large beef brisket, trimmed of fat
4 ounces olive oil
4 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons onion salt
4 tablespoons cracked black pepper

For the baste:
1. Mix together the barbecue sauce and vinegar. Set aside.

For the brisket:
1. On a large sheet pan, rub the brisket with olive oil and season with kosher salt, garlic salt, onion salt and cracked black pepper making sure all sides are covered.
2. Place meat in a wood smoker (about 225 degrees), and slow cook for 20 to 22 hours. (I know that sounds like a long time, but it’s worth it.) And you will have to add wood to maintain the temperature.
3. While the briskets are cooking begin to baste with the barbecue baste, continuing cooking and basting.
4. After 16 to 18 hours the meat should be very dark and firm.
5. Continue basting the brisket until it tenders out.
6. Remember to slice from the small corner and across the grain.

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Rathbun Family Barbecue Rub
Serving size: 1
Preparation time: 10 minutes

2 ounces granulated garlic
2 ounces granulated onion
1 ounce cayenne pepper
1/2 ounce white pepper
1 ounce black pepper
4 ounces salt
4 ounces paprika
3 ounces brown sugar

1. Mix ingredients together and store in dry container.

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Baked Potato Salad
Serving size: 8
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes

2 pounds red potatoes, washed
2 ounces canola oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 ounces bacon, diced and cooked crisp
1 cup sour cream
1 bunch green onion, chopped
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper

Recipes from Ribs 5 Ways in 5 Days A bone-sucking rib recipe, plus the fixings Pat and Tony Neely serve up a slab (and sides) Memphis-style to kick off a 'Today' special series, 'Ribs 5 Ways in 5 Days' Texas-style ribs that'll melt in your mouth In part two of a special series, 'Ribs 5 Ways in 5 Days,' chef Kent Rathbun serves up Texas ribs and sides. Check out the recipes Don't buy your sauce from the grocery! In day three of a special series, 'Ribs 5 Ways in 5 Days,' Ollie Gates of Gates BBQ in Kansas City, Mo., shares his smokin' recipe Where pork is pulled and ribs are hot! In day four of a special series, 'Ribs 5 Ways in 5 Days,' father-and-daughter chefs share recipe secrets for North Carolina BBQ Say it ain't so! Tasty ribs from the oven? In the final day of a special series, 'Ribs 5 Ways in 5 Days,' barbecue experts have an outdoor-indoor cook-off. See recipes

1. In a large bowl toss potatoes in canola oil and kosher salt until coated.
2. Place potatoes on a sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees until potatoes are tender.
3. While potatoes are baking, cook bacon in a small pan until crisp, then drain excess bacon fat and set bacon aside.
4. When potatoes are done and cool enough to work with, cut potatoes in large chucks and place in a large mixing bowl.
5. Add in bacon, sour cream, green onions, cheddar cheese and butter.
6. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and fold all ingredients together being careful to leave the potatoes chunky.

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Green Tomato-Golden Beet Pickles
Serving size: 8
Preparation time: 15 minutes

2 cups green tomatoes, sliced in half moons
1 cup golden beets, peeled and sliced
1 cup watermelon radish, sliced julienne style
1/2 cup red onion, julienne
2 cups champagne wine vinegar
4 tablespoons mustard seed
4 cloves garlic
4 each chiles de arbol, stemmed and seeded
4 ounces sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups crushed ice

1. In a large bowl mix together sliced tomatoes, beets, watermelon radishes and red onions. Set aside.
2. In a large sauce pot, bring to a boil champagne vinegar, mustard seeds, garlic, chiles de arbol, sugar and salt.
3. Continue to cook on medium high heat until mixture has reduced by half.
4. Remove from heat and pour over pickles.
5. Let sit for about 2 minutes, then add crushed ice to cool the brine.

Recipes provided by the chefs of Abacus restaurant in Dallas, Texas. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.

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