Father's Day BBQ Ribs

I am so excited for this weekend, it's Father's Day and for the first time in a very, very long time I get to celebrate it with my Dad and not over the phone! Now that we are in Chicago, we get to see the folk's much more often and I am very thankful for that. I am and will always be a Daddies girl, so this year my parents, my sister and her boyfriend are all coming to our place for a Father's Day Cookout.

We have planned a menu fit for a King and hope and pray that the Chicago weather is good to us, so we can spend some much needed outdoor time together. About a month ago, I had a huge craving for BBQ ribs, so I thought why not try to make them at home and I was pleasantly surprised how well they turned out for my first time. After raving about them so much, my family has requested BBQ ribs for Father's Day and I am happy to comply.

You do not have to be a BBQ master or even have a charcoal grill, to get these juicy, smokey, tender ribs. I did a little research, read a few blogs and found out the best ribs are done at a low heat around 230 for about 3hrs. Whether you like your ribs wet or dry, you must start with a dry rub to get that crust that you expect from a BBQ Rib.


BABY BACK RIBS 
3 to 4 Pork Ribs - Cleaned and Trimmed
Wood Chips for Smoking (Mesquite/Hickory)
Foil Pan for woodchips
BBQ Sauce

DRY RUB 
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup smokey paprika

3 tablespoons sea salt (fine)
3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon red cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground ginger powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon rosemary (ground to a powder)

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

Mix all rub ingredients together, after ribs have been cleaned and rinsed. I purchased cleaned and trimmed ribs, if you didn't make sure to remove the membrane before cooking as it can be leathery and chewy. The membrane is the white thin layer on the back of the ribs. Lightly coat the meat with oil, I used olive oil but vegetable oil would be fine. This will help the rub sticking and creating the crust. Liberally place the rub all over the top of the ribs and massage into the meat. Let sit for at least 2 hours.The remainder rub can be stored in a jar or plastic bag and placed in fridge. It's a great dry marinade for fish and chicken.

To cook your ribs you will need a grill, a container for the wood chips and wood chips. You want to heat your grill to 225 - 230 and do not let it get hotter than 250, as the meat can become tough. The key is to slow roast at a constant temperature. Once you have the temp down, place two or three handfuls of woodchips in a pan that can be on the grill with a small amount of water. You want a nice smoke coming from those chips. Place the pan of chips on the back of the grill, directly on the heat or as close to it as possible. Then add your ribs, meat side up. Never putting them directly on the heat.

Now it's time to wait, enjoy a cold beverage of your choice and the beautiful sunny day, cause that is why your grilling right. About halfway through cooking, you should move the ribs so each rib is getting cooked at the same pace. Meaning if one is closer to the flame, switch with the other that is farthest from the flame, never flipping keep meat side up. This is a great time to add more woodchips, if need be, another two or three handfuls. Try not to peek during cooking and enjoy the process. 

Allow 3 to 4 hours to cook, cooking time does vary depending on how steady the temp stayed, the type of ribs and amount of meat on the bone. A great way to test them, is to pick up a slab with tongs and gently bounce it. If the surface cracks, they are ready to go. Once you have determined they are cooked, slather your ribs with your favorite barbque sauce and place the ribs on the hottest part of the grill. This will give you a crisp, caramelized texture. Remember to keep lid open and watch them at this point, as the sauce can burn in seconds. 

Your ribs are read to be taken of the grill and enjoy! These may take awhile but really once they are on the grill, you get to sit back and relax. Have people over, play a game of bocce or cornhole and enjoy the Summer! I hope everyone enjoys these as much as my family.

Happy Father's Day!