Just in time for summer: Fall-off-the-Bone Ribs

The unofficial start of summer has arrived, and that means grilling season. Every dad wants to be a master griller, but let's be honest: It's not always as easy as we'd like. I, for one, often have trouble knowing when meats are cooked properly, which really frustrates me.

By the way, when we moved from Pennsylvania to South Carolina when I was a kid, my family learned an important lesson. Up north, barbecue is a verb, as in, "Let's barbecue this afternoon," or gerund, as in, "We're going to have a barbecue." In the south, it's a noun, as in, "We're having barbecue for dinner."

Anyway... while I am yet to master steaks or even burgers, I have learned a recipe for ribs that is always sure to impress. Before we start, though, I will tell you that rib experts/snobs will probably tell you that this is not the real way to cook ribs, because apparently if a rib falls off the bone, it's been steamed, instead of smoked. A rib, they'll tell you, should be chewy and require some work with your teeth. Well, if this recipe is wrong, I don't want to be right! That's how good it is.

So how did I discover this? Simple. I Googled "easy ribs" or something like that, and found a recipe for dry-rubbed ribs that is easy and delicious. Through a little experimentation, I have tweaked it a little and guarantee success.

So here's what you'll need:

2 racks of pork ribs (whatever kind you want will work)
Your favorite BBQ sauce if desired.

For the rub:
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
The juice of half a lime (or the whole lime, if you'd like!)

Rinse the ribs with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Lay each rack on its own long sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil. You MUST use heavy duty foil for this. The regular stuff tears way too easily.

Mix all the rub ingredients together in a small bowl until it forms a gritty paste. Rub it all over both sides of each rack until they are coated evenly. Don't forget the sides! The rub is pretty spicy, but it will mellow as it cooks.

Fold up the foil for a tight seal. You may need to an extra piece to cover any seams, and you may need more later if it starts to leak and cause flare-ups on the grill. Let the ribs chill in the refrigerator for as long as possible. The longer the better, as the meat really soaks up the flavor, so if you can leave it overnight, great, but I've done it for about an hour, and it's still fine.

Heat your gas grill to 300, and put the wrapped ribs right on the grate. Cook for about 2.5 hours. Remember, when you're barbecuing, low and slow is the key. After about 2.5 hour, use a sharp knife, and cut open the foil.

Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce on the meaty side if you want, and carefully flip the ribs onto the grate. Brush the backside with the sauce and let cook for another 5 or 10 minutes or so per side until the sauce caramelizes and forms a nice, sticky crust.

 

Look closely at the picture above, and you can see where some of the meat tore away while flipping. That's how tender these ribs are.

Usually two racks is more than enough for four people. Be careful as you move them from the grill to a platter and to a plate. They can be so tender that they will fall apart as you transfer them.

It's Greek to me: Souvlaki & Greek Potatoes

Sorry the blog has been so quiet lately. As you might imagine, with our new addition, there's little time for things like this. Plus, we've had some great friends who have spoiled us with meals, so there hasn't been a whole lot of cooking. Nevertheless, I have a couple more recipes ready to go, including this one.

It's Greek Festival weekend in Wilmington, but with a couple of little kids, we decided not to try to navigate the event and make our own Greek dinner. The idea is inspired by my favorite dish at a great restaurant back home in South Carolina: Zorba's. Anyone who has grown up in or around Irmo knows Zorba's, and the Souvlaki Platter there has long been my standard order. You can serve this up with beef or chicken. We made chicken last night, so that's what you'll see in this recipe.

Ingredients

Chicken breasts and/or beef tips/steak (really any cut will do)
Greek/Souvlaki seasoning (I use Cavender's Greek Seasoning)
Olive oil
Balsamic or red wine vinegar
Potatoes
Stewed tomatoes
Oregano
Basil
Mint
Tzatziki sauce (recipe below)
Pita bread

For Souvlaki
Cut meat into bite-sized pieces. In zip top bag combine about 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup vinegar, Souvlaki seasoning (at least a couple tablespoons) and mix together. Add meat, a spring of fresh mint, fresh basil and oregano and marinate at least 30 minutes. Place on hot grill (I use my George Foreman Grill), sprinkle with more seasoning if desired and cook until done.

For potatoes
Cut peeled potatoes in half. In medium pot, cover with cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Boil for four minutes. Remove most of the water and add in a can of stewed tomatoes, some oregano, mint, basil and Greek seasoning. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until fork tender.

Tzatziki Sauce

 

2 cups Plain yogurt (Greek yogurt is even better)

1 Cucumber

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

Peel cucumber. Cut in half and scoop out seeds with a spoon.

Chop cucumber as finely as possible. Place chopped cucumber on thick layer of paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Mix in small bowl with rest of the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Serve Souvlaki and potatoes with sauce and warm pita.

I also made a side of spinach by heating a little olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add crushed garlic and cook until it's almost brown. Add in a bunch of spinach leaves. Turn to coat and heat until done. Remember, spinach cooks down a great deal, so a full bunch will only give you about a small bowl full.