It’s All About the Ribs, Baby

Spare the heat when cooking ribs
Getting familiar with the technique of indirect heat is the difference between grilling and burning your ribs. When it comes to barbecue sauce, don’t even think about it until the last 15 or 20 minutes of cooking. Then, think about it constantly.
When finishing ribs with sauce, coat one side of the ribs with sauce, flip them over, coat the other side and then flip them over again. Repeat the basting process at least three or four times during the final minutes of cooking to ensure the ribs are well coated with sauce and evenly caramelized, not burned.
For pork ribs, don’t to be afraid to slow roast them in the oven first and then finish them off on the grill for the last 15 to 20 minutes to baste them with barbecue sauce.

Grilling tips for ribs
If you want to precook ribs, roast them in the oven first--never boil them or they will dry out.
If you do roast first, slow bake at 250 degrees for about three hours before heading to the grill.
When using a gas grill, create indirect heat by getting the grill very hot, and then turning off the burners on one side, or turning the flames on one side to very low.
Whether you roast them inside first or grill them entirely outside, never put any barbecue sauce on ribs (or any meat) before the final 15 to 20 minutes of cooking. The high sugar content of the sauce will cause the meat to burn before it is cooked. Using the sauce during the final stages of cooking allows for nice caramelization without burning.

Sticky Asian Spareribs Printable version
3 lbs. pork spareribs
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger root, grated
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
For the sauce:
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Trim the ribs of excess fat. Mix the garlic, ginger and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Lay the ribs on a sheet pan and rub the soy sauce into each slab. Rub the brown sugar mixture into each slab. Marinate in plastic wrap for 8 hours or overnight. In a bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together and reserve until needed. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from ribs and bake in oven for 2-3 hours.
Transfer the ribs to the grill and grill over direct heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Make sure they don’t flare up. Move ribs off direct heat. Brush with some of the sauce and close the lid on the grill, keeping the vents open. After 5 minutes, turn the ribs over and baste again. Repeat the basting process three or four times, working to get a nice coating of sauce on the ribs without burning them. Remove the ribs to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut and serve.

Grilled Baby Back Ribs Printable version
8 lbs. baby back ribs
4 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. sea salt
2 Tbsp. freshly ground pepper
Mix the spices together and rub on both sides of the ribs. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate 12 hours or overnight. Grill ribs on both sides to sear the meat. Place the ribs to the side of the fire and let them cook with the lid on for 1 to 1-1/2 hours, or until the meat begins to pull away from the bones. Remove from grill and serve with a favorite sauce.

Apple Ginger Cole Slaw Printable version
1 small head green cabbage, shredded
3 medium carrots, grated
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. grated ginger
2 Tsp. soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

In a large bowl, mix the cabbage, carrots and apples. In a separate bowl mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, ginger and soy sauce. Combine the dressing with the cabbage mixture. Don’t use all of the dressing at once, depending on the size of the cabbage head. Toss the salad until well mixed and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle in some raisins or cranberries if desired. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Baked Beans with Pineapple and Fried Onion Rings Printable version
4 cans (16 oz.) pork and beans
1 can (16 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
1 can (16 oz.) fried onion rings
1 cup dark molasses
1 cup barbecue sauce
5 strips bacon, fried and crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beans, pineapple, molasses, barbecue sauce and 3/4 of the onion rings. Salt and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, mix the crumbled bacon and remaining onion rings. Pour bean mixture into a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Top with bacon and onion rings. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 6-8 servings.

Roasted Corn on the Cob Printable version
6 ears corn, husked and cleaned
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
6 Tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese
Chili powder
Butter (spray-type works best)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Using a pastry brush, coat each ear with a thin layer of mayonnaise. Sprinkle each ear of corn with Parmesan cheese, chili powder, salt and pepper. Spray each ear with butter. Wrap each ear in aluminum foil and place on the grill. Grill for about 20 minutes.