Ribs--The Best Food In The World

            Ribs. Succulent, bbq, falling off the bone, juicy pork ribs. Baby back, country style---doesn’t matter as long as it’s ribs with the bones. You have to have those bones in there. They keep the ribs moist and keep the flavor in the meat. Ribs are the best food in the world. 
          My friend Gigi would dispute this statement, as she believes bacon is the best, most perfect food in the world. Bacon is outrageously good [again, pig meat] and on a lot of days I might just cross over the fence and vote bacon…but not today. Although I did make some yummy appetizers with bacon---take pitted Medjool dates and make a slit down the side, fill with a little bit of goat cheese (I put some chives in mine), then wrap some bacon around the date. Put into a 450 degree oven for 12 minutes and serve. The crispy, salty smokiness of the bacon with the tang of the melty goat cheese and the warm sweetness of the dates is a perfectly amazing burst of flavor and deliciousness in your mouth! So while bacon is fabulous, it's back to the ribs.

          So today it was rib day.  Had some baby back rib racks in the freezer from a great sale a few weeks ago, so defrosted them, rubbed them with my special country style rub, and wrapped them in aluminum foil. I put the packet in a big roasting pan and put it all into the oven at 250 degrees for 6 hours.  Then I unwrapped the foil, brushed them with Mom’s BBQ Sauce, turned up the temp to 500 degrees and put them back in to brown up. 

          Here’s the visual for you….me with bbq sauce all over my cheeks, under my nose, and in my hair, and a great big smile on my face.  Ribs….they're fabulous!  And here’s my dry rub and Mom’s bbq sauce recipes so you too can go to rib nirvana.  Peace, love and bbq ribs to all!

JANE'S COUNTRY TIME DRY BBQ RIB RUB

     ¼ c. sugar               ¼ c. brown sugar     ¼ c. paprika

     1 T. garlic powder      1 T. chili powder     1 T. onion powder

     1 t. cayenne            3 T. coarse salt      1 t. black pepper

     1 T. mustard powder

Mix well.  Rinse ribs and pat dry with paper toweling. Generously rub the dry rub over both sides of ribs so that is sticks well, making sure ribs are completely covered so no meat shows through.

MOM’S SPICY BBQ SAUCE

1 T butter                         ½ c. finely chopped onions

¼ c. white vinegar                 2 beef boullion cubes

½ c. log cabin syrup               1 T. Worcestershire sauce

¾ c. water                         1/8 t. pepper

1 ½ t. salt                         1 ¼ c.  catsup

3 T. brown sugar                  2 T Tabasco—more or less to taste

½ t. dry mustard                  1 t. liquid smoke

1 T. sweet chili sauce (found in Asian Markets, NOT the catsup based chili sauce)

Melt butter and add onions. Saute until light brown. Add rest of ingredients and stir well. Simmer slowly over medium low heat for 15-30  minutes or until sauce is glossy & thick.