Rick’s Ribs are barbecue made easy
For Rick Thompson, it’s all about the sauce.
Thompson is the man behind Rick’s Ribs, a Christchurch-based outfit making smoky slow-cooked barbecue ribs, beef cheeks and pork hocks easy, for anyone to enjoy in their own homes – without spending hours tending to a smoker first.
He aims to prepare every piece of meat so that if people follow the simple reheating instructions, it tastes like it has just come off his barbecue.
‘‘I treat every single rib as if I was cooking it for myself for dinner.’’
The ribs need to be wrapped in tinfoil and reheated in the oven for about 30 minutes before being smeared in Thompson’s special sauce, while other cuts can be boiled in the bag for 10 minutes. The products are aimed at people who love barbecue but do not want to put in the long hours needed to prepare food in that style.
He said he had three or four goes at getting the sauce right before settling on the one that gave his ribs their signature taste.
Thompson has been smoking meat for about four years, starting with a brazier before buying a small smoker. He is selftaught, having learned much of the low and slow craft from watching YouTube videos.
He said he did not plan to set up a business. It started when family in Auckland saw what he was cooking on social media and asked to try some, so he got a vacuum packer.
He had a friend buy an extra bag for a flight to Auckland, so he could fill it with 15 kilograms of ribs for family and friends.
Thompson shared posts on social media that showed the ribs ready to go and soon people were asking if his meat was for sale. He sold 78 racks in the first two weeks based off a single social media post, and it is now his full-time job.
He said the ribs were good for people who did not like them really spicy; ‘‘they just tingle your mouth’’.
For those who did not like any heat at all, he offered another version of the sauce without any spice.
Thompson has been marketing himself by making quirky videos on Facebook. He said he tried to have a good laugh and take the Mickey out of himself.
Orders can be made online at ricksribs.co. nz. He will also have a pop-up stand at Riverside Market on October 10 and 11.
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