Stick to your ribs!

Summer time is my favorite time of year because its all about being outside. The days are longer and whether I'm gardening, hanging with the kids or simply sitting in a shady spot and enjoying the summer breeze, it makes me happy. It's also time to fire up the grill for many backyard barbecues. It's undoubtedly the best way to entertain but I tend to cook on the grill any time. It's super healthy to begin with and I love the charred bits on a slab of meat, that only comes from cooking outdoors. Its easy cooking especially since I make my son Raoul, chef for the day and I volunteer for the cleanup since there's hardly any!

Baby back ribs are the best kind when you're out buying the ribs but the trick is to cook them very slowly so that the fat renders. Which means that over low heat, the fat tends to melt away and the meat becomes succulent and tender. Quick cooking leaves large chunks of blubber interspersed with the meaty parts and I dislike that immensely. Plus the meat tends to remain tough and chewy.

I tend to get adventurous when I get my hands on ribs. Sometimes I go Asian and at other times I simply stay local. Americans slather on BBQ sauce and it tastes fantastic, the only hitch is that I am opposed to bottled sauces and so I make my own....

Recipe for BBQ Baby Back Ribs:

1 slab of ribs

1 large onion minced

4 cloves garlic minced

2 tbsp oil

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp coarse mustard

1 tsp paprika

salt to taste

2 bay leaf

a few splashes of Hot sauce (optional)

1. Heat oil in a heavy pan and saute the onion and garlic till it caramelizes and add in the other ingredients.

2. Simmer the sauce over low heat till the mixture starts to bubble gently and becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

3. Allow it to cool completely. Remove about a cup of it and brush onto the ribs on both sides.

Keep the remainder for later.

4. Grill the ribs and brush on some of the remaining sauce before serving.

Raoul brushes on the Marinade.