Ribs

Memorial Day weekend is not only a kick off to that summer feeling but a kick off to summer food.  The menu changes and some of our family classics are just calling to be made. 

The girls made gazpacho which is an old favorite.  They added mussels, scallops, shrimp and calamari to the soup.  They took each seafood and steamed in white wine and lemon in a medium sized sauce pan.  It only takes a few minute for each to cook.  Then they put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to cool and let the flavors soak in.  They shelled the mussels.  Put a mix of each in the bottom of our bowls and poured the gazpacho over it.  The perfect summer meal. 

They also made strawberry sorbet.  We made jams and sauces every summer so out came the blueberry sauce which they poured over the sorbet.  Delicious.  This morning they attempted to recreate Pinkberry frozen yogurt.   Big success.  The ice cream maker has come in handy every summer. 

Chocolate chip cookies were made too.  We also hit up the Clam Bar which is our favorite lunch place in the
Hamptons. 

But our all time favorite is ribs.   The first summer after Jessica was born, we rented a small house in Mahopac.  I refer to this summer as the summer I learned to cook on the grill. I probably made the majority of recipes from The Thrill of the Grill.

Ribs are one of the few things I have probably perfected.  The key is the slow cook in the oven all day long.  I stick to the rub from Thrill of the Grill, give or take some ingredients based on what I have but here is the gist of what I do.

I keep this mixture around and just add to it when it is low. 

4T paprika
4T cumin
2T sugar
2T kosher salt
2T pepper
1 1/2T chili powder

Mix this together  and rub all over the ribs.  Put the ribs on a cookie sheet covered with tin foil and put in the oven at 180 degrees for 6 or more hours.  Make sure the ribs aren’t stacked but have their own space.  I have done as many as 8 racks and as little as 3.  I have cooked them as long as 8 hours.  When the ribs are done, or you are ready, take them out. 

Then fire up the grill.  Put the ribs on the grill, at a medium heat, otherwise they burn.  Lather them with your favorite barbecue sauce.  I am partial to Bone Suckin’ Sauce.  Let them get crispy on each side lathered with the sauce.  Only about 3-5 minutes per side.  Flip is maybe twice based on what they look like or how crispy you like them.

I use a scissors to cut the ribs as seen in the picture above.  Just easier.  Serve them up….a total no fail recipe.   

For us, you can’t have a complete summer without a few racks of ribs now and then.