Sweetheart Ribs

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you were showered with love, candy, and flowers today... better yet, I hope you showered someone you love with love, candy, and flowers today!

Truth be told, C and I don't really "Celebrate" Valentine's Day.  12 years ago C said, "It should be Valentine's Day everyday.  If not, I'm taking you for granted and one day isn't enough to fix it."  I bought it hook, line, and sinker.  Ya know, I can conclude two things all these years later.
1)  I definitely do not feel C ever takes me for granted.  I try very hard to do the same.
2) We always have actually done something cutesy and Valentiny around Valentine's Day. (like I'll buy him some fancy chocolate and he'll get me a nice bottle of wine)

My friend and former colleague, Lisa K, told me her and her hubby celebrate on February 15th cuz everything is at least half off and the restaurants are empty.  Does it really matter which day it is you celebrate?  Nah!

This year C made dinner for us Saturday night.  Ribs!  We had a slab in the freezer calling our names.  What's better than ribs at a BBQ with friends in July?  Only ribs in February with your sweetie!  We ate after Z went night night.

One happy memory I always think of with ribs is my maternal Grandpa Sherwin.  He loved ribs.  I remember as a kid my grandpa getting Carson's Ribs in Chicago.  Warm memory.  I think he'd like C's ribs.  I think he'd like C.

C makes the best ribs and they are really really easy!  We modified the recipe from Cuisine at Home Magazine.  It is a great mag that the Queen's friend, Stacy, got me into years ago.  A) No Ads B) Hole punched so you can store them in a binder C) Great recipes.  I'm into lists today!

Ready for the grill!

Sweetheart Ribs

Slab of Baby Back Ribs (from a reputable butcher shop)
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1/2 Tbsp Ground Cumin
1/2 Tbsp Paprika (we used smoked)
1 Tbsp Chili powder (we use a combo of New Mexico and Cayenne)
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tbsp Ground Pepper (Freshly ground on the spot . . . it's a pain but totally worth it.)
BBQ Sauce (use your fav)
Tin Foil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

With a paper towel remove the silvery membrane on the ribs.  Use a fork and poke holes throughout the ribs between the bones so the rub will penetrate better.  Put ribs onto a cookie sheet.

Combine all seasonings in a small bowl (Garlic powder through Pepper).   Rub mixture onto both sides of ribs.  Cover cookie sheet tightly with tin foil so steam cannot escape.  Roast in oven for 1.5 hours.  After 1.5 hours check to see how much of the rib bone is exposed.  After that check every 15 minutes to see if the meat has crawled up the bones about 1/2 to 1 inch.  We needed 2 hours of total roasting.  (see photo by recipe title)

At this point you can pop in fridge and finish up to a day later.  To finish them off grill them basting your fav BBQ Sauce on them for about 30 minutes turning halfway.  They just look done ya know or if the slab bends in half when picking up or it begins to fall apart while flipping them on the grill . . . they ARE done.  Let them rest 10 minutes.  Slice individual ribs by holding the ribs so the bones are vertical and you can slice downward.  Serve with more BBQ sauce.  Recipe easily doubles or triples for a crowd, if you feel like sharing.

Thanks C, Love you!