These ribs are what I grilled to go along with the salad recipe from the previous post. When I decided on ribs for the entree, I had to look back through the blog to see just how many baby back rib recipes I have on here. The answer is eight, there are eight more baby back rib recipes that I’ve posted. Is nine too many? I don’t think so.

These remind me of Hawaii, so you know they are going to be good!

Luau Baby Back Ribs

Soaking Liquid

• 4 cups water
• 1 ½ cups soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ponzu
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 4 cups ice cubes

Ribs

• 3 to 3 ½ pounds pork baby back rib racks
• 2 bottles of beer of your choice

Dry Rub

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Glaze

• 2 cups pineapple and/or mango juice
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha 
• 1 cup reduced soaking liquid

These ribs were the hit of my Memorial Day BBQ. Today, I had planned on posting another recipe from Connor’s birthday dinner, but several of the guests asked that I post this recipe first and I love nothing more than pleasing my friends and family. <3

There is only about 15 minutes of hands-on prep time and another 15 or 20 minutes of grilling time, the rest of recipe  is hands-off time in the oven. See, easy!

You can use your favorite barbecue seasoning rub, or use my favorite Food Network rub. I’ve been using it for nearly 10 years. The recipe for that rub is included.

I used purchased BBQ sauce, but of course, if you have a favorite recipe, use that!

Linda’s Easy and Delicious Baby Back Ribs

• 5 to 6 pounds baby back pork ribs
• 3/4 cup barbecue seasoning rub *recipe below
• 2 cups barbecue sauce

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottoms of two large baking sheets with heavy-duty foil.

Lay ribs out on the baking sheets. Season all over with the rub, using all 3/4 cup. Cover baking sheets tightly with heavy-duty foil.

Roast in oven for 1 hour.

Gently remove top foil and brush ribs with half of the barbecue sauce. Carefully and tightly re-cover with the foil and return to the oven for 30 minutes, ribs will be very tender.

Heat grill to medium-high. Grill ribs, brushing with sauce and turning several times, until slightly charred and glazed, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer ribs to a cutting board. Cut into one or two rib portions and serve.

Serves a crowd

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This is the fourth and final tapas recipe from Peggy’s dinner party. But before I share it with you, I nearly forgot to mention that I brought a Stone Fruit Crumble for dessert.

This time around, I used plumcots in place of the apricots and plums. Have you tried plumcots before?

If not, be sure to search them out and give them a go. They are not only tasty … but so very pretty too.

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The meat from these baby back ribs is fall-off-the-bone tender and oh so flavorful!

Dave requested vinegar-based ribs as his Father’s Day main course. Done! Although the ribs were delish, they weren’t the best part of Father’s Day.

On the Thursday night before, I received a text from my sister-in-law, Teresa, saying that she was on her way to town for an unexpected visit.

Teresa and my older brother divorced over 20 years ago, but she and I have always been close… since high school actually. She and my four nephews moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho some 19 years ago. Sadly, we rarely see each other.

My dad gets up to Idaho to see his grandsons and Teresa every couple of years, but we haven’t been there since 2003.

Teresa wanted to know if she should call Dad or if I thought she should surprise him on Father’s Day instead.

Surprise, of course!

So Teresa, her sister Jennifer, and their mom, Judy, walked in about a half-hour before dinner and surprised Dad. He was overjoyed and has been talking about it every day since. There is nothing better than seeing and catching up with family!

Jen, Judy, and Teresa are pictured above. Love them! xoxo

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Today I’m driving up to Flagstaff to deliver Connor back to NAU to finish his freshman year. I can not begin to believe it is already half over! So last night, the four of us had what will be our last family dinner all together for quite a few months. Dave had been craving ribs and since we haven’t had anything but traditional “American” or southwest foods recently, regular old barbecue was out of the question, Asian flavors fit the bill.

A couple of ingredients you may or may not be familiar with are Chinese five-spice powder and Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. Chinese five-spice is a mixture of ground spices (cassia cinnamon, cloves, star anise, Szechwan peppercorns, and either ginger or fennel) that combine the five primary flavors of Chinese cuisine: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy (or pungent). This follows the Chinese philosophy of balancing the yin and yang in food. Works perfectly with my philosophy in food too; that it tastes great!

Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (also known as “Rooster Sauce”) is a must-have for your pantry and is one of your best friends in the kitchen. There is really no need for me to wax poetic about its attributes and qualities since there is a fabulous article in this month’s issue of Bon Appétit, which will inform you more than you may ever need to know about “Rooster Sauce”. Click this LINK to read the article and see a bottle, so you know what to look for at the grocery store.

Plus this recipe works into our “easy-breezy” category, just be sure to plan ahead, 12 to 24 hours ahead, to allow the ribs to marinate and soak up all the great Asian flavors.

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