BBQ Rib Spice Paste and Sweet and Spicy Barbeque Grill Sauce

After what has been just the WORST Spring, the skies hasve cleared enough for my very favorite tradition: Barbeque.

It is pretty common knowledge that my father makes the best ribs in the world. The only information I have on his recipe is this: he marinates them, starts them in the oven, moves them to the grill, and bastes them with something. I am not party to any ingredient besides pork, but I know they are spicy and gooey and charred. Someday, on his death bed, he might tell me his recipe. Until then, just as I did with chili and marinara sauce*, I will have to forge ahead on my own.

Marinade

I prefer a paste marinade to a liquid. Mix any dry spices with 2 tbsp neutral oil (any kind of bland oil without much flavor). I used coriander, chili powder, cinnamon, oregano, salt, and pepper mixed with cheap olive oil, and brushed on both sides of the rack of ribs.

Marinate as long as possible, then cover tightly with foil on a deep rimmed baking sheet and pop in the oven. Heat the oven to 275F. The ribs will be fine in there for 2-2.5 hours.

Sauce
This was modified from a Martha Stewart recipe

1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8oz tomato sauce
8oz stewed tomatoes
1.5 tsp chili powder
.5 tsp nutmeg
Coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
1/2 cup white vinegar
2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp oregano
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (plus more to taste)
1 cup water

In 1-2 tbsp oil, saute onions and garlic. I like to let them brown, but if you don't like the taste, just cook them until tender, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, chili powder, nutmeg, and .5 tbsp salt plus a little pepper (you can go back and add more salt and pepper after it's simmered a while) and heat to a simmer. While stirring, slowly add vinegar and WS sauce. At this point I tasted the sauce, and thought it needed a little... something, so I added a bit of oregano, my go-to spice. With everything blended and simmering, slowly add the sugar, stirring it in. Cover sauce and let it simmer about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
You'll need to puree the sauce at some point, and because I am still short an immersion blender, I scooped out the solid ingredients during this in-between phase, mixed them with about a cup of cool water, and pulsed them in the blender. If you have an immersion blender, you can add the water and puree everything now.
After an hour, remove the sauce from the heat and let cool. I popped mine in the fridge to let it set a little.

RIBS
Once the ribs are done in the oven, you can move them to your grill (or broiler) and finish as you like. Give them a generous coating of the BBQ sauce and let them sizzle! Happy Summer!!!

*You can't have my marinara sauce recipe.