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1
Combine all ingredients except ribs in heavy medium saucepan.
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2
Bring to boil.
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3
Cool marinade completely.
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4
Place ribs in large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; add marinade.
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5
Seal bag; turn to coat ribs.
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6
Refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally.
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7
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat.
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8
Add onion and saute until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
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9
Add vinegar and boil until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes.
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10
Remove from heat.
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11
Add ketchup, molasses, and 1/4 cup water, then bourbon; stir to blend.
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12
Bring sauce to simmer.
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13
Stir in salt and white pepper.
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14
Simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors.
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15
Stir in thyme leaves.
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16
(Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead.
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17
Cover and refrigerate.)
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18
Place handful of torn newspaper in bottom of charcoal chimney.
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19
Top with 30 charcoal briquettes.
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20
Remove top grill rack from barbecue.
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21
Place chimney on bottom rack.
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22
Light newspaper; let charcoal burn until ash is gray, about 30 minutes.
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23
Open bottom barbecue vent.
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24
Turn out hot charcoal onto 1 side of bottom rack.
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25
Using metal spatula, move charcoal to cover approximately 1/3 of rack at 1 side.
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26
Fill foil loaf pan halfway with water; place opposite charcoal on bottom rack.
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27
Return top rack to barbecue.
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28
Arrange ribs on top rack above water in loaf pan.
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29
Cover barbecue with lid, positioning top vent directly over ribs.
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30
Insert stem of candy thermometer through top vent, with gauge outside and tip near ribs (thermometer should not touch meat or barbecue rack); leave thermometer in place during cooking.
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31
Use top and bottom vents to maintain temperature between 250F and 300F, opening vents wider to increase heat and closing to decrease heat.
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32
Leave other vents closed.
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33
Check temperature every 10 minutes.
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34
Cook ribs until meat is very tender when pierced with knife, turning ribs occasionally and basting often with sauce the last 10 minutes of cooking, about 3 hours total.
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35
Open barbecue only when necessary to turn or baste meat and close quickly to minimize loss of heat and smoke.
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36
After first 30 minutes of cooking, use technique described earlier to light additional 15 charcoal briquettes in charcoal chimney set atop nonflammable surface.
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37
If cooking temperature drops below 250F, use oven mitts to lift off top rack with ribs and place on heatproof surface.
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38
Using tongs, add half of hot gray charcoal from chimney to bottom rack.
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39
Replace top rack on barbecue, placing ribs above water in loaf pan.
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40
Cover with lid.
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41
Transfer ribs to plates; brush with more sauce and serve, passing any remaining sauce separately.
