Memphis’ Rendezvous serves up a great dry rib. Folks from Alabama will argue that Dreamland is the best. I prefer Rendezvous to Dreamland. I especially like eating at Rendezvous restaurant because they give you get a complimentary bowl of Red Beans and Rice and no matter how much you beg they will not give you the recipe.

My ribs are far from award-winning, but my husband and son love them and that’s all that really matters to me. Cooking ribs can be an involved process, but I’ve learned a few things that make them a bit more mom-friendly You’ll want to allow about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for cooking and resting and about 30 minutes for prepping.

Here’s my recipe and why Moms may prefer it:

I prefer St. Louis ribs. They cost more – much more – but you get what you pay for, right? Baby backs are my second choice. The spare ribs are just too … eh.

Rub your ribs. You can do store bought brand according to your taste, or make your own. Mine is fab, if I do say so myself. I’m one of those palm-measurers, but I think this is how my rub would measure out:

• 4Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
• 3 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon White Pepper
• ½ Tablespoon Chipotle Chili Pepper

We like a lot of spice, so we use a whole recipe of rub per slab, but that’s a bit much for the average person. Once you have your slab perfectly slathered, wrap the ribs in aluminum foil. If you’re not ready to cook, store them in the fridge. Take them out and let them rest on the counter for about 30 minutes to an hour before you’re ready to start cooking.

Meantime, preheat the grill. Some fanatics will argue that one should use a charcoal grill and maybe add chunks of hickory or mesquite. But if you’re chasing around a kid or four then you have little time to nurse a fire. So I use gas. You’ll want to turn on all burners and let the grill heat to about medium, or 350, if you have a temperature gauge. When the grill is ready, turn off the burners on one side. (The temperature will drop during the cooking process so don’t be alarmed.)

Keep the ribs sealed tight in the foil. This is another piece of mom-friendly advice. You can sit by the grill and baste the ribs in a mixture of melted butter, vinegar and lemon juice every 30 minutes or so (which is how my FIL made his fabulous ribs), or you can wrap them in foil and allow them to baste themselves, which is what I do.

Place the rib-foil packs on the side of the grill with the burners turned off, and close the lid. Let the ribs cook in this indirect heat for an hour, opening the lid only if you have to.

After an hour, take the ribs out of the foil packet and place them directly on the “off” side of the grill. Let them cook another hour or so. You know they’re ready when the meat is tender and starts to pull away from the bone. (It may start to pull away before you take the ribs out of the foil.) That charring is from the brown sugar so don’t freak.

When they’re done, place the ribs in a casserole dish or baking sheet. Completely cover with heavy-duty foil and let rest for at least 30 minutes. You can also put them in a 200-degree oven until you’re ready to serve them.

If you want to glisten them with barbecue sauce, then do so no. Place them on the grill and paint with sauce. Or, just serve the sauce on the side. We’re a sans-sauce family now, though. And it’s somewhat easier on the child-cleanup side.

Enjoy!

Photos, JWJourney

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How to BBQ Mom-Friendly Ribs

I’m thinking summer picnics and fall tailgating…

Image: Chef’s Catalog

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Portable party in a box: gas grill

The Griddler is available from Cuisinart, both online and in major retailers.

Image: Cuisinart

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Cuisinart Griddler

The circular plate is made of black painted steel and comes with a diameter of 29,5 Inches.
The attachable grill completes the FIREPLATE and provides a perfect BBQ experience.
The ideal solution, not only for boy scouts with an eye for aesthetics.

While I really don’t think boy scouts would be too interested, anyone who wants a sleek looking design for the back yard or patio certainly might!

Image: Radius Designs

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The Fireplate

An under $20 gift for your grill team!

Image: Shopfosters.com

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Grill after dark

My friends and I (aka The Grill Team) start to grill before the ice is even off the porch.  But I found out that the National Barbecue Association considers May to be National Grilling Month, so I got extra inspired.

Lately, our favorite thing to grill is lemon pepper chicken or spare ribs.  We’ve been experimenting with lots of different sauces for the ribs to see which we like best.

So how about you?

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What’s your favorite thing to grill?

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

What fun is a summer BBQ if you feel disorganized and in disarray?  Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories – a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it.  Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs?  Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread.  Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions – including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets – they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done – perhaps you can kick back with a nice frozen beverage.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco.

Enjoy the BBQ season!

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b5media Lifestyles Picnic