Oh Baby!

It is summer...here in Phoenix this does not usually cause celebration. But summer means BBQ right? So on this very warm day I decided to make Baby Back Ribs, and usually I bake them in the oven on low for a few hours...But I am in Phoenix. I probably could have just wrapped these babies up in foil and set them in my garage for the day and that would have had the same result as the oven!

Contrary to the term BBQ I don't use my BBQ Grill for these ribs at all...


I opted for my trusty crock pot that substitutes as my oven, in the summer months. My favorite way to cook pork ribs is to make a dry rub, smear it generously all over the ribs, let it sit and soak up the flavors in the fridge. Then of course slow cook them till they are falling off the bones.


Normally I am not the biggest fan of BBQ, I lived in Texas for many years...I still can not stand to be anywhere near Mesquite! BBQ is also very messy...something about having it all over you and under your nails, disturbs me a bit. My guy on the other hand loves BBQ, and ribs especially, so I decided I would figure out how to make ribs that we both would enjoy!


As I am sure you all have heard by now, I am not the kind of cook who measures things, I am a bartender by trade so I measure by count or parts... and of course by taste!


Dry Rub for Pork Baby Back Ribs:

Parts are probably like table spoons...


3 parts brown sugar
1 part garlic powder
1 part onion powder
1/2 part cumin
1 part kosher salt
1 part red pepper flakes or cayenne
1 part black pepper
2 parts pumpkin pie spice


I like to place all these in my handy little Magic bullet blender and grind it into a fine powder. It should taste sweet, spicy, with a hint of salt. Adjust to taste.


Ribs:

Cut the ribs into portions of about 4 ribs per piece. Score the back membrane, and coat generously with the dry rub. Make sure you save about a shot glass sized amount of the rub, to add to the sauce...yeah there will be some sauce.


I like to place these in foil, wrapping so that they are overlapping but have foil between, so they don't stick together. Place in the fridge for at least an hour but can be done up to 24 hours. Also you might want to put this into a bowl or bag just in case it drips. Then place the entire thing (minus plastic) in the crock pot on high, or the oven on 250. Cook for about 5 hours. the house will smell fantastic at this point! If you do this in the oven, place it in a roasting pan to catch the drippings. This time, I actually used an oven bag inside my crock pot and there was no mess!



The sauce is whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is plus the shot of dry rub simmered in a small sauce pan. This just tied it all together.



After about 5 hours of cooking remove the ribs...carefully, and place them on a cookie sheet and bast with the sauce. Place them under the broiler on high. Keep an eye on it or they will burn and smoke like crazy! I like to get them toasted just enough so there are some blackened crispy edges...that's the best part!


In Texas the beverage of choice would be some light beer in a can...I of course chose to serve a white wine with my ribs! Nothing like a chilled glass of wine on a hot summer day!


Panilonco

2008

Chardonnay/viognier

Chile


This wine has a combination of crisp fresh citrus and a rich apricot and honeysuckle flavor that complimented the BBQ sauce quite well! I bought this wine at my local Trader Joe's and it was only $4! Now in this economy, that is a steal! Even though I am new to the white wine world, I think this wine is very tasty! I hope you enjoy this meal as much as I do...even if I do need a bath after eating it.