What is up fellow lovers of good grub!
Allow me to jump right in to it today, the weather is wet outside and that meant no Softball practice...rats! But that meant I could take the time to create a little something new for you for the Spring.
Last week I was asked to do a Guest Lecture at my Law School about passing the Bar and life as an Attorney, along for the ride were Patty, Nicole, Cass and his wife Bobbi, my normal crew. But this time we also had some friends with us that I hadn't seen in far too long, Kelly and Terry Gamble. Kelly and I met in Law School and were instant friends, I later met her husband Terry and to this day he remains the coolest guy on the planet! It was great having them all there when I did the lecture which was a lot of fun. So many people make noise about "giving back" and when called upon to do so make excuses not to do anything. So when I was invited to the school to speak to the students I agreed, and we had a lively discussion that was fun, and I hope entertaining for them, and while I was "Big Sexy" for most of the discussion, I also took time to address the more serious concerns the students had. It was truly rewarding for me and when a few of the students had some questions afterward I asked Kelly to address them with me, and it was great! The two of us hanging with the next generation of Barristers. And after that we all went out to Tahoe Joe's and got our dinner on! A great night was had by all.
I mention Kelly for a particular reason, while at dinner she and I were talking about the blog, and she flattered me by saying that she follows it, but... But?! But what? She said, and I'm quoting here, that my recipes are too "fru-fru". Oh Hell no...! She asked me about a Rib Rub or something in that vein, so I thought about and said "You got it!" But of course I had no clue how to do a rub, so I did what I needed to do, jumped into some research to get a grasp of what one was and how they differ. After reading from several different sources I was ready to begin the alchemy....
Since I prefer a little sweetness with my Bar-B-Que flavors, I started with one tablespoon of Brown Sugar, and one tablespoon of Granulated Sugar, those will caramelize at high cooking temperatures. Then I went with a tablespoon of Kosher Salt because that will help to bring out the flavors of the meat. Then a tablespoon of Paprika, and a tablespoon of Cumin which adds a flavor of Chili to it. Then for a little bit of flame I added a tablespoon of Cayenne Pepper, and two tablespoons of Chili Powder, and to round out the flavor a tablespoon of Onion Powder. Take all of the ingredients and place into a sealed jar or bowl, then shake well so they all mix and integrate and Pow! the rub is ready.
Now I'm ready to apply to the ribs, and since I love links as well I picked up some link sausages and Italian ones, let's try everything! I applied the rub to all of the meats and then wrapped them in plastic wrap and let them marinate in the refrigerator overnight, and at 2:00 today I was ready to do my thang!
I pre-heat the oven at 275, and took the meats from the refrigerator and let them rest for an hour then placed the meats onto a baking sheet and covered the top with Aluminum Foil. I let them rest for and hour because I have learned that will keep the meat from getting tough when its cooking. And I used a nice low heating setting to ensure a nice slow cooking process. Let the meat cook for 2 and 1/2 hours, then remove and using a baking brush or spoon, apply your Bar-B-Que sauce and let cook for an additional 20 minutes, then it's time for eats!
Last night I prepared some Potato Salad to accompany the meat, and I feel that Potato Salad should be prepared a day before so it can be nice and chilled and ready when the meat is done, and since that was the case here, I was full on ready!
The ribs were fantastic! And the Links...I'm having one as I type this! Yes, I have done it again! Summer is around the corner and this one is a winner for Bar-B-Que season...
Special thanks to Kelly for making the challenge! This was fun and not as easy as it may have sounded...
Until next time,
Big Sexy!
