INGREDIENTS

    Rub and Ribs
  • 2 tablespoons dark roast ground coffee
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4-5 lbs baby back rib racks (2 racks)

    • Mop Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup brewed coffee , cooled to room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • coarse salt
  • fresh ground black pepper

    • Cafe au Lait Barbecue Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large shallot , finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced celery
  • 1/2 cup brewed coffee (or coffee with chicory, suggested brands-Luzianne, Cafe du Monde)
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • coarse salt
  • fresh ground black pepper

    • Other Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups wood chips, soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained (preferably hickory)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Make the barbecue sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan; add in the shallot, garlic, and celery; cook over medium heat until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes.
  2. Stir in the coffee, ketchup, cream, soy sauce, bourbon, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, liquid smoke, and brown sugar; bring to a boil.
  3. Decrease heat slightly and let the sauce simmer until thick and richly flavored, 8-10 minutes, whisking from time to time.
  4. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste and more brown sugar (or any other ingredient) as necessary.
  5. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for several weeks; let return to room temperature before serving.
  6. Make the rub: put the ground coffee, salt, chile powder, onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, pepper, and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix using your fingers to break up any lumps.
  7. Place a rack of ribs meat side down on a baking sheet; remove the thin, papery membrane from the back of the rack; repeat with the other rack.
  8. Sprinkle the rub over both sides of the ribs, rubbing it onto the meat; cover the ribs with plastic wrap and let cure in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or as long as 4 hours (the longer the ribs cure, the richer the flavor will be).
  9. Meanwhile, make the mop sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  10. Add in the brewed coffee, vinegar, and bourbon; let simmer gently until blended, about 1 minute.
  11. Whisk in the salt and pepper to taste; let the mop sauce cool to room temperature.
  12. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium; place a large dip pan in the center of the grill.
  13. **For gas grill, place the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then decrease heat to medium.
  14. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate; place the ribs bone side down in the center of the grate over the drip pan and away from the heat; cover the grill and cook the ribs for 45 minutes.
  15. Mop or brush the ribs on both sides with some of the mop sauce; recover the grill and continue cooking the ribs until well browned, cooked through, and tender enough to pull apart with your fingers, 30-45 minutes longer (1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours total).
  16. When the ribs are done, the meat will have shrunk back from the ends of the bones by about ¼ inch.
  17. Mop the ribs once or twice more with the sauce.
  18. Just before serving, brush both sides of the ribs with some of the Cafe au Lait Barbecue Sauce.
  19. Move the ribs directly over the fire and grill until the sauce is sizzling, 1-3 minutes per side.
  20. Transfer ribs to a large platter or cutting board; let ribs rest for a few minutes, then cut the racks in half or into single ribs.
  21. Serve at once with the remaining Cafe au Lait Barbecue Sauce on the side, or drizzle over the ribs.