Baby Back Ribs

This is an instant favorite. A definite crowd pleaser and all the preparation is done ahead of time, which makes it a hostess favorite as well.

My granddaughter proclaimed more than once, when out at a restaurant having ribs, “these aren’t as good as GG’s!” She is now old enough to help me with the preparation and other than the actual grilling, she has done it all. BTW, those front teeth have finally reappeared.

She is rather proud of how well she applied the spice rub.

Grilling is the adult job and then it is time for her to apply the bbq sauce.

After doing a great job slathering the ribs with all that tasty sauce, we wrap the racks in parchment, then in the heavy-duty foil, and pop them in the oven for a bit. The aroma permeating the house makes it torture until it is time for the actual consumption. I hope you agree that these are better than anything you have had in a restaurant!

BBQ SAUCE
18 oz. jar of good bbq sauce, Bullseye is a good one
1/4 cup of molasses, preferably Grandma’s Original unsulphured
1 to 2 Tbs. cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it!)
2 Tbs. Hungarian or smoked paprika
1 Tbs. dry mustard
Combine the above ingredients and mix well to combine.

RIBS
Two racks of baby back ribs.
First, rinse and dry the ribs. Then, rub them with olive oil and cover the ribs quite heavily with your favorite spice rub. Brown the ribs for 5-7 minutes per side on a preheated grill. Next, lay out sheets of heavy-duty foil with parchment paper on top (1 for each rack of ribs).
Then, when finished browning the ribs, bring inside and place each rack on the parchment sheets. Slather the sauce on the ribs, don’t skimp here, you want good sauce coverage on both sides of the ribs. Next, wrap and seal the parchment around the ribs and then wrap the heavy-duty tin foil around that, making sure that you have sealed it well.

Finally, put the ribs in a large roasting pan with a rack (I use my turkey roaster) and add a little water to the bottom of the pan to keep things moist. 

Bake at 325º for 2 to 3 hours, they should be “fall off the bone” tender. Serve with coleslaw, baked beans, and cornbread.



Greek Chicken Kebabs

This is a delicious, light version of the Greek classic and a barbecue favorite that is sure to please.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2″ pieces
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup greek yogurt
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. each dried mint, dried oregano
1 tsp. each kosher salt, fresh ground pepper
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 bunch fresh mint
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 12-inch metal skewers

DIRECTIONS
First, mix the two tablespoons oil, yogurt, garlic, mint, oregano, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Then, add the chicken pieces, toss well to coat the chicken and marinate for about 30 minutes. Although with most marinades, longer is better, this one is not the case. The yogurt in this will start to break down the chicken and then it gets a bit mushy, however it will still taste good. The mushiness just makes it more difficult to work with.

Next, whisk the remaining two tablespoons oil and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Meanwhile, preheat the barbecue to medium-high heat.

For the skewers, pull the mint leaves from the stems. Then, alternate the chicken, the onions, and the mint leaves on skewers; baste with the lemon-oil mixture and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Then, grill the chicken, until it is just cooked through. While grilling, occasionally turn and baste the chicken, with the lemon-oil mixture. The grilling goes rather quickly and should only take about 9-12 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces. Finally, when done to your liking, remove the chicken from the grill, and sprinkle with some additional, chopped fresh mint.

Additionally, you might like the Greek Orzo Salad, which goes quite well with the kebabs.