16 ish spice rub pork ribs with barbecue sauce

one of my favorite things to order at bobby flay's mesa grill is 16 spice pork.....it is so good.  i like a lot of what bobby flay makes but can't handle the level of spicy.....the 16 spice is mild compared to some things you could try on that menu.  i was really excited when i saw bobby make the 16 spice chicken with bourbon barbecue sauce on the throw down show...it looked easy to do and the folks that tasted it were raving...well of course it was bobby!  i printed the recipe and i have made my version of the 16 spice rub and the barbecue sauce minus the bourbon and chilis about 10 times....i have used it on chicken, pork loin, pork chops....all delicious.  i made a trip to the butcher in essex the day before memorial day weekend to stock up for some guests....oh and to celebrate....because hallelujah the stove is hooked up and working!!!!  (love it, love it, love it....best thing i have ever bought....... really! i have been cooking like a mad woman for 10 days with no time to stop and write down any of it....too much fun cooking ) i know i am crazy...i admit it.

 it arrives but only the electric oven is operational for 2 weeks

 finally cooking with gas..... and not on the deck but in the kitchen

 so back to the butcher.....he had these gorgeous piles of ribs he was sorting and rolling each one into a neat pile....so i struck up a conversation with him about how i might cook these, since i don't have a smoker...and he gave me some advice on cooking them slowly in the oven wrapped in foil.  i got them home and looked around for some inspiration....i had a container of the 16 spice ( my version) rub and decided why not.  i dried them and added the rub on both sides and put them back in fridge for 2 hours while i made the barbecue sauce.  i preheated the oven to 250 and double wrapped the ribs in foil and cooked them for 2 1/2 hours.  i took them out of the oven and opened up the foil wrap basted them on top and bottom with the barbecue sauce and put them on the gas grill on the foil for a half hour on low.  these were so good they did not last long enough to get a picture of them...sorry about that.
my version of the rub recipe and the barbecue sauce after the jump.

16 spice rub (ok my version only has 15)
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons regular chile powder
3 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons ground coriander
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground fennel seed
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon allspice
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

mix it all together and put it in an air tight container ......that from this day forward can only be used for this spice rub....and then store the whole thing in another zip lock bag because it will make the cupboard smell like the spices.  this makes enough for about three separate uses....depending upon how much meat you are making.

barbecue sauce inspired by bobby's:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium spanish onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of ketchup
1/3 cup of water
2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 heaping tablespoon of dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon molasses

heat the oil in a heavy medium sized pot on medium heat add the onion and cook until soft, then add the garlic and cook for one minute.  stir in the chicken stock and cooked until reduced.  add the ketchup and water and bring to a boil then simmer for  5 minutes.  Stir in the remaining ingredients and simmer until thickened stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.  this sauce is wonderful.  bobby purees it in a food processor but  i use it just as it is with the little bits of onion....why wash the food processor?