I usually cook two slabs of baby back ribs:

1 cup Rendezvous Famous Seasoning
Mix ingredients together, remove rib membrane, generously apply to ribs. If you prefer sweeter ribs, then add 3/4 brown sugar and/or 1/2 cup pure honey.
Heat WSM to 275 and use apple chunks for smoke. I have also used Jack Daniels oak wood chips for a good flavor. (I am from TN and we love our Jack Daniels).
Cook ribs for 1.25 hours on WSM. I use a 50/50 mix of water and apply juice in my foiled water pan. After one hour of cooking, place ribs in Reynolds heavy duty foil and continue cooking for 40-50 minutes. I like to spray my ribs with apply juice as I place them in foil. If you prefer, during the last 10 minutes of cooking pour on the barbecue sauce. I use a probe thermometer and the ribs are typically done after 1.5-2 hours depending on the temp of the WSM. Just before serving, mix up two shots of jack daniels with a splash of coke and you are good to go.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ben Leyhew,

quote:

Originally posted by Ben Leyhew:
1 cup Rendezvous Famous Seasoning

Ben,
Your dry rub contains Vinegar and Water?
I think you've got the mop recipe mixed up with the rub recipe. Here's the rub recipe:
http://bubbabbq.homeunix.net/R.../rendezvous_rub.html

So as not to lose the recipe due to a broken link someday.

Rendezvous rub:
1/2 cup salt
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1 TBSP granulated garlic
1 TBSP dried oregano
1 TBSP ground celery seed
1 TBSP paprika
1 TBSP chili powder

Regards,
Chris

Here are some pics of the finished product:



Here they are done:

quote:

So as not to lose the recipe due to a broken link someday

Chris great call. The link is dead. Thanks Man.

Well, I'll take this for a sign. I've been mulling hardcore over what rib recipe to use for a comp this weekend.

I'm definitly going to go with the Rendezvous recipe for the MBN portion, now just to finalize my KCBS ribs!

Well, the store-bought Rendevous rub has MSG, the posted recipe here does not. Regardless, the rub is where the similiarities to Rendevous ribs ends. Their technique is somewhat different, cooked directly over charcoal or lump without any wood smoke, from what I understand. I believe the baste (or bath at the end) is critical as well, and it contains no apple juice. They use more rub after cooking as well, and they're entirely different than most babybacks.

Hey Dave, mind sending me/posting a full recipe including the baste/bath?

I've modified the recipe quite a bit myself but I'm interested in seeing what the original looks like.

quote:

Originally posted by Vincent C:
Hey Dave, mind sending me/posting a full recipe including the baste/bath?

I've modified the recipe quite a bit myself but I'm interested in seeing what the original looks like.

I'm afraid that the original recipe is a closely guarded secret. Understandably so, as the place is probably the most famous rib restaurant in the world.

Nevertheless, Steven Raichlen has his attempt at Rendevous ribs ("The Original" Memphis Dry Rub Ribs recipe) in his book BBQ USA. There's also a guy that has posted a version at BBQMYWAY.COM, if it's still there. While I've had Memphis bbq a couple of times, I've never been to the Rendevous, so I can only go by what I've heard and read. Going by what fellow Tennesseans and my friends over around Memphis say, it seems the place is more famous than it is a place for locals. That said, loinback ribs are too good to just cook one way, so give 'em a try.

Oh, and if it's too far to dry, you can order 'em online.

Rendezvous-style Memphis Seasoning The original clone recipe can be found at Amazing Ribs

Made changes to this seasoning to make it more like a rub. Though I primarly use it as a rub, I give my ribs a light dusting just before adding the finishing sauce (Bone Sucking Sauce goes very well with this) because certain flavors greatly diminish during the cooking process. On the BBQ brethren forum there is an awesome post by the MadScientist that describes his experiments determining what effects cooking has on common rub ingredents. I keep a copy of this with my rub recipes for quick reference. http://www.bbq-brethren.com/fo...avor+burn+experiment

RECIPE Ingredients: changes/additions/comments in ( )
Ray’s Brand http://www.rayschilli.com/gallery2.htm

8 tablespoons paprika (½ Smoked, ½ Hungarian)
4 tablespoons powdered garlic (Ray’s Brand)
* (4 tablespoons of granulated onion) (Rays Brand)
4 tablespoons mild chili powder (Ray’s Brand)
3 tablespoons (fresh cracked) ground black pepper
3 tablespoons kosher salt
** (3 tablespoons of Turbinado or dried light brown sugar)
2 tablespoons whole celery seed
1 tablespoon crushed celery seed (whole seed in the spice mill)
2 teaspoons whole yellow mustard seed
***1 tablespoon dried crushed oregano
***1 tablespoon dried crushed thyme
****1 tablespoon whole allspice seeds
1 teaspoon ground allspice
***** (2 teaspoons of Chinese 5-spice powder)
****** 1 tablespoon whole coriander seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Ac'cent (MSG)

* Add granulated onion because I love onions.
** Because I use this more as a rub, it needed a little sweetness. Too much and you’ll get a hammy taste. Match 1:1 sugar to salt. To dry brown sugar, place a thin layer on a sheet pan in a 200º oven for 30 minutes. Let cool and shift; store in air tight container.
*** For the crushed thyme and oregano I substitute 3 tablespoons of Spice Island Italian Herb Seasoning processed 3-5 seconds in a spice mill.
****Never understood why whole allspice was in the original recipe. It is the only thing left in the shaker.
*****Chinese 5-spice powder is a mixture encompassing all five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. There are many variants, but the most common is star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper and ground fennel seeds. It goes well with greasy meats like pork, but too much can dominate and ruin a dish.
****** When crushed, Coriander seed bring a refreshing lemony citrus flavor to the mix. Uncrushed they usually roll off the ribs. I give it a light grind in the spice mill.

### As a final note, there is no heat in the mix. You can kick it up with cayenne.