Barbecue is a Father’s Day dinner classic— but it wasn’t always easy to find in the Northeast. All that changed in 2007, when husband-and-wife duo Marc and Kristen Glosserman (who are now Westporters) opened Hill Country Barbecue Market in N.Y.C. “My family on both my mom’s and my dad’s side are from Texas,” explains Marc. “I’ve always had a passion for barbecue, because I loved it growing up.” Kristen recalls Marc asking on one of their early dates where she liked to go for barbecue in the city, and when she responded that the cuisine wasn’t really a presence in New York, Marc’s gears started turning about opening a spot of his own. The idea went from percolation to reality as the couple also fell in love and got married, and on the night that Hill Country opened on 26th Street, Kristen went into labor with their oldest child. “We named him Austin Sam, after my grandfather, Sam, from Lockhart, Texas” says Marc.
Since that fateful night when two of their babies came into the world, the business and their family have both grown and expanded— they now have three daughters in addition to their son, and they’ve evolved their business. About three years ago, Austin expressed a desire to play high school football—something he couldn’t do at his school in N.Y.C.—so they toured schools in Fairfield County. They found one for him, one for their three girls, and a great house, and officially decided to leave Manhattan for Westport. “Westport is special,” says Kristen. “I think a lot of the reason Marc and I are here in Connecticut, is really because the restaurant was growing up and more independent and, for the first time, we were able to take a bit of space to really focus on our family, and this last chapter with all of us under one roof.”
The importance of connection extends beyond their own nuclear family and into what they’ve created at Hill Country Hospitality, the group behind the restaurant. “The thing I’m most proud of is the community that we’ve built,” Marc says. “From employees to guests from around the world— to be able to build something meaningful to the community is very rewarding.”
In honor of Father’s Day, Westport Lifestyle asked Marc and Kristen to share one of their favorite Hill Country recipes: for their signature ribs.
HILL COUNTRY PORK RIBS
EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Charcoal or gas grill (with lid), drip pan, tongs, meat thermometer (optional)
INGREDIENTS
For the Ribs:
1 full slab pork ribs (St. Louis-style or baby back)
2 cups Hill Country Rub (see below)
1 small package wood chips (hickory or oak)
Smoker box (for gas grill)
Hill Country Chili Rub:
10 g Coleman’s Mustard Powder
14 g granulated garlic
14 g onion powder
10 g paprika
24 g chili powder
11 g cayenne pepper
270 g dark brown sugar
21 g salt
Hill County Signature Rub:
272 g Kosher Salt
136 g Black Pepper
11 g Cayenne Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prep the Ribs: Remove silver skin from the back of the ribs. Evenly coat both sides of the ribs with rub. Wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours in advance (optional).
2. Set Up the Grill: For Charcoal Grill: Arrange coals for indirect heat. Place a drip pan in the center. Add soaked wood chips to the coals. Preheat to low (215–225°F). For Gas Grill: Put soaked wood chips in a smoker box. Preheat grill on high until smoking, then reduce heat to low. Set up for indirect heat with a drip pan.
3. Cook the Ribs: Place ribs on the grill over the drip pan (not directly over heat). Close the lid and maintain a steady 215–225°F temperature. Cook for approximately 4 hours, checking temperature periodically.
4. Finish & Serve: Check for doneness: ribs should be tender with a slight tug. Let rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Serve as-is or with sauce on the side.