Ridiculous Ribs pull Double Duty

The Joyful Kitchens catered a rehearsal dinner this past Friday and the menu was classic Americana (sorry Rachel - I know you hate that word ;)).  The centerpiece was crusty mahogony ribs, dry rubbed for 48 hours in brown sugar, chile powder, salt and other seasonings, slow-roasted for 3 hours and then finished on the grill, after a generous slathering of BBQ sauce and pan juices.  These ribs were special.  When you make something good you have to own it.  And I own that these ribs were special.  However, everything good I ever make is an inspiration from someone else, so I can only take a smidge of credit.  The inspiration this time is Lindy; an amazing cook, Mother of my best friend since kindergarten and part of a gourmet group we call Cinq Gourmandes (a little ode to Julia Child).  Anyway, thank you Lindy!   Folks, I'm just telling you, these are great and your family will thank you for them.  The guests at the rehearsal dinner were delighted and I also made them for Zack's guys night on Saturday, where they were devoured with equal aplomb.  Being a multi-tasker, I basically made the same menu for both events, saving me lots of shopping time and brain-space.  Anyway, the ribs were a hit at both and I wanted to share.

Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out how to weave a story together.  Writing is not my primary gift by any means.  But I do like to share delicious things with people and also my observations about this and that, so this time I'm going to go ahead with List form.  LISTS are definitely one of my primary gifts. :)

Some observations...

1) About photography:  I sometimes kick myself for not taking more care with pictures or learning more about this element of blogging.  For heavens sake, one of The Joyful Kitchens is one of the best food photographers I've seen!  Ashley would help me in a minute if I wanted to improve.  But the thing is, while I like to capture at least A picture of the food, its just not a huge priority for me.  I don't have any ambitious ideas about this blog so I'm not worried if my images aren't always awesome.  I hope friends and family read and enjoy it.  It is a collection of recipes and stories and it is a place for us to keep in touch with you about our classes and events.  My true passion is cooking food and serving people, not writing about it.  So please forgive the lack of epic imagery.  I hope the recipe content makes up for it.  I will try to be vigilant about them being excellent and only post things that are really really special.  I know the other ladies will do the same.

2) Guys nights:  What do you think of when you hear those words?  Pizza Hut, PBR, bags of cheetos?  Well, I've had kind of a revelation about them this year.  It started with my pondering the reality that me and my girlfriends get together regularly (many different combinations of them) to eat really really well.  We cook for each other, plan menus and really make our girls nights delicious and memorable.  Guess what?  Guys really really like this too!  But most of them (I said most, so please don't get all up in arms if you're a guy that loves to cook!) don't have the cooking experience, culinary tools, or menu imagination to make a meal with each other really special.  Zack used to have guys nights with pizza ordered in and all that, but recently I've discovered that one of the greatest gifts I can give him is a wonderful meal with his guy friends.  They actually seem to enjoy doing the finishing steps, plattering everything up and sit down to an awesome menu of items at a well set table.  Zack loves to be able to host them in this way and its a joy to help him do it.  So, in conclusion on this topic. 1) We're going to do a guys night cooking class coming soon - to teach the guys a menu that they can really get excited about making and enjoying with their "bros".  Email julie@thejoyfulkitchens.com if you want me to make sure you hear about it first.  2) If you're a woman who enjoys cooking, consider helping your husband put together a great guys night menu and help or do the cooking and let him finish it.  It's a gift.  I always leave a list of instructions and scoot out the door before the guys show up!

3) The cookbook giveaway!  I put your names in a bowl and Zack randomly drew one.  Donna!  You're the winner!  I'll mail your cookbook pronto!

So now, for what you you'd really like to know.  HOW do I make these ribs!  Well here you go.  I need to give you the recipe for the Bourbon Apple Fritter Cake they had for dessert too, but that will simply have to wait.  I didn't even get ONE picture of that.

SPICED BABY BACK RIBS
Adapted & Inspired by Lindy McDonough
serves 6-10, depending on how many sides you offer and appetite of guests

1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup chile powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chinese five spice powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 racks of meaty baby back ribs (Costco sells packs of 3 and they are amazing - super meaty)
2 cups of your favorite homemade or storebought BBQ sauce (I use Bullseye and it rocks)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1-2 days before you are going to serve the ribs, make the rub by combining first six ingredients.  Seperate out about 3/4 cup of the rub to add to the BBQ sauce.  Cut your rib racks into 3 or 4 rib sections.  Each rack should yield 4-5.  Rub the meat with the rest of the rub - about 1 1/2 cups.  Very generously on the meaty side and some on the bone side as well.  Place them meaty side up in the roasting pan (or other container that will fit in your fridge), cover with tin foil and place in your fridge for 1-2 days.  I like two days best.

For the sauce, add the BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke and the rest of the rub into a medium sauce pan and warm it slowly until the flavors come together.  Over medium low heat for 20 minutes or so.  It's ready to use now, so you can refrigerate till you need it.  OR, just make it the day you roast the ribs. 

4 hours before you are going to serve the ribs (you can even do it much earlier and warm them again in the oven before putting them on the grill) place them in a 300 degree oven.  Roast for 3 hours.  Check them then.  You should be able to easily slip a fork in and turn it and feel that it's tender and loosening from the bones.  3 hours seems about perfect in my oven, but a little longer might be good too.  Once its ready, remove the foil and leave on the stove-top to cool a bit.

20 minutes prior to serving, preheat your grill to around 300 degrees.  While its heating, baste the ribs thickly on both sides with your BBQ sauce.  Grill over medium heat for 5 minutes per side, or until the sauce has kind of baked on.

Serve with extra BBQ sauce for passing and plenty of napkins!