Summertime!

It's the first day of summer! What better way to celebrate than with a good ol' fashioned BBQ?! Baby back ribs, corn on the cob, cucumber "salad", and sliced tomatoes harken back to my southern roots. Making delicious baby back ribs is actually very easy. I learned via observations working at Darryl's in Richmond, VA and Kilroy's in Woodbridge, VA. 

Here's what you need:

Rack of ribs (tonight I'm doing two racks!)

Large pan (I use a 9x13 Pyrex dish for each rack)

Liquid Smoke

Salt and pepper to taste and water

Barbecue sauce of your choice

Directions:

Rinse the ribs with water, cut in half and lay in the pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the ribs, fill pan with about 1 inch of water, and put four or five dashes of liquid smoke in the water. 

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook in a warm, 300 degree Fahrenheit oven until the ribs are fragrant, about one and a half to two hours. When the heavenly aroma of cooked pork fills your kitchen, turn off the oven and let the ribs rest. If they cook too long, they'll fall off the bone when you put them on the grill.

Preheat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grill ribs about 3-5 min per side coating with your desired amount of sauce. Serve hot with lots of napkins, paper towels, or hot wash cloths. 

Happy summer!