Korean BBQ McReed (aka smoked rib sandwich)

Chef Tony Reed
Prep Time

30 minutes

Cuisine

American BBQ

Category

Dinner

Every fall, a certain fast-food chain resurrects its cult-favorite boneless rib sandwich for a few short weeks, and the internet loses its collective mind over it. Chef Tony Reed took the basic idea — bones out, glaze on, straight onto a bun — and gave it the real treatment: full rack of baby back ribs, smoked low and slow, hand-deboned, and double-glazed with Spiceology Korean BBQ Seasoning and Spiceology Korean BBQ Glaze for a tamari-sesame-gochujang finish that's sticky, a little tart, and deeply savory. Piled onto a toasted bolillo roll with cool cucumber, tangy kimchi, and a spiked Korean BBQ mayo, it's proof the drive-thru didn't need to keep this idea to itself.

Korean BBQ McReed (aka smoked rib sandwich)

Ingredients

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    • 1 rack baby back ribs
    • ½ cup Spiceology Korean BBQ Seasoning
    • ¼ cup apple juice (or water), divided
    • 1 cup Spiceology Korean BBQ Glaze, divided

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    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 Tbsp Spiceology Korean BBQ Glaze
    • 1 Tbsp gochujang
    • 1 tsp rice vinegar
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

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    • ½ cup kimchi, drained and roughly chopped
    • 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced and deseeded
    • 4-6 bolillo rolls
    • butter or neutral oil, for toasting

    Directions

    1. Preheat the smoker to 250°F. Hickory, cherry, apple, or a mild fruit-wood blend all work well.

    2. Remove the membrane from the back of each rack of baby back ribs if still attached. Pat the ribs dry and season evenly on both sides with the Korean BBQ Seasoning. Let sit 15–20 minutes while the smoker comes to temperature.

    3. Place the ribs meat-side up directly on the smoker grate. Smoke at 250°F for 2½–3 hours, until the seasoning has formed a good bark and the ribs have turned a deep reddish-brown.

    4. Place each rack on a large sheet of heavy-duty foil. Add 2 Tbsp apple juice (or water) and brush each rack with 2 Tbsp Korean BBQ Glaze. Wrap tightly.

    5. Return the wrapped ribs to the smoker and cook another 1½–2 hours, checking around the 1½-hour mark. The meat should be extremely tender, the bones should twist easily, and the internal temperature between the bones should read 200–205°F.

    6. Carefully open the foil and let the ribs rest 5 minutes. While still warm, gently twist and pull each bone from the meat — they should slide out cleanly, leaving the rack mostly intact. If they resist, rewrap and cook another 15–20 minutes.

    7. Increase the smoker to 325°F. Transfer the boneless racks back to the smoker and brush generously with the remaining Korean BBQ Glaze.

    8. Cook uncovered 10–15 minutes, until the glaze turns sticky, glossy, and lightly caramelized. Remove and rest 10 minutes.

    9. Meanwhile, make the Korean BBQ mayo: whisk together the mayonnaise, Korean BBQ Glaze, gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame oil until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

    10. Drain the kimchi well so it doesn't water down the sandwich, and roughly chop if needed. Slice the cucumber paper-thin and keep both refrigerated until assembly.

    11. Lightly butter or oil the cut sides of the bolillo rolls and toast on a griddle or skillet until golden, keeping the outside soft.

    12. Cut each boneless rack crosswise into sandwich-sized portions, about 5–6 oz each.

    13. Spread Korean BBQ mayo on both cut sides of each toasted roll. Add a rib portion, top with a spoonful of drained kimchi and a few slices of cucumber, then cap with the top bun.

    14. Serve immediately, while the ribs are hot and the cucumber and kimchi are cold.
    Recipe Products
    Blend

    Korean BBQ Seasoning

    Key Ingredients

    Gochugaru Korean Chili Flake, Sesame Seed, Sesame Seed, Tamari Soy Granules, Maple Sugar