Lip Smackin' Baby Back Ribs

2nd shift came for dinner last night. In honor of Independence Day, I made these Lip Smackin' Baby Back ribs. Other than a few minor snafus in pulling everything together (you gotta have those, right?), I couldn't be happier with the way everything turned out.
    
A good meal review to me is when my table gets quiet and all you can hear is a bunch of "lip smackin' and ummmms." I have only made ribs twice (this recipe), and both times the reviews were great! Thank you to my friend and colleague, Tom Green, for sharing this recipe with me. I'm not sure what it is about this recipe that makes them so good -- it could be the rub, or maybe it's the ice cubes -- or both?  Whatever it is, they are fall off the bone tender.  Every time!
   
This is the best I could do for a picture. Once again, things got crazy busy just before 6:00 pm rolled around.  I barely had time to change my clothes, let alone run around and take pictures. Here's what's left of seven racks of Baby Backs.

Tom Green's Lip Smackin' Ribs

Recipe for 3 pounds (about one rack) -- I used Smithfield

Rub 

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Paprika

2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1-½ Teaspoon Black Pepper(except for the pepper, I doubled this recipe for one rack). 

Aluminum foil usually comes in two sizes -- make sure you have the large (longer) roll on-hand, as well as some plastic wrap.   

• Mix ingredients for rub in a bowl. 
• Peel off and discard membrane on back of ribs. Slip a butter knife under a section of the membrane and lift to get it started.  You might need to use a paper towel to grab hold of the membrane -- it can get slippery. Rinse ribs and pat ribs dry with a paper towel before putting the rub on.
• Don't cut your finger removing the membrane like I did.    
• Rub mix on ribs, front and back. If you rub the night before, wrap in plastic wrap and set on a baking sheet in the refrigerator overnight.  
• Once marinated, remove the plastic wrap and transfer one rib rack to aluminum foil. Cut aluminum foil approx. 6-8" longer than your rib rack so you have about 3-4" on each end to seal it tight.  Add 6 to 7 ice cubes (see picture). 
• Seal the foil tight and place on an over-sized cookie sheet. Make sure the baking sheet has sides just in case anything drips.  Bake in a preheated 275 degree oven for 3 hours.  Don't cook any longer than 3 hours. I left my ribs in for an extra 30 mins and they were so tender I had hard time keeping them together for the grill. If you cook 4-7 racks, use both oven shelves and rotate the pans half-way through cooking time. I don't know if this matters or not because I don't know what I'm doing half the time, but it sounded logical to me. :)  

Seven lil' Smithfield Baby Backs just hangin' out in my
refrigerator waiting for their rubdown.

After the rubdown...wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight
(sleep tight my little Baby Backs)

Add 6-7 ice cubes before closing up the foil pouch.

275 degrees for 3 hours

Remove tray(s) from oven carefully. Open one end of pouch to release the steam.  Let the ribs rest for 30-40 mins -- this makes it easier to put on the grill.  After 30-40 mins, remove the ribs from the foil AT THE SINK so any drippings go in the sink (it can get kind of messy). 

Grill with your favorite BBQ sauce for 10 minutes (medium heat) for approx. 5 mins on each side or until BBQ sauce is bubbly.  I used Sweet Baby Rays Hickory and Brown Sugar.   

Enjoy!

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There were so many big hearts contributing to this meal.  First, thank you to my colleague, Kelli P., for her generous contribution. She was on her way out the door Friday night and stopped by my desk and said "here's a little something for AHOP."  Unless she has a little angel on her shoulder (which she probably does), she had no way of knowing about my special impending dinner.  This isn't the first time she has done this and she always catches me by surprise.  And thanks again to my friends at Harris Teeter.  Their generosity extends far beyond their grocery store walls. The following stores contributed to this special meal. Their Smithfield BB ribs were Buy One/Get One FREE, so each store's gift certificate went twice as far!
  

My 10 officers ate like kings last night and they deserved it!!
   

                                      

• Store #11 – Ballantyne Commons
• Store #204 – Quail Corners
• Store #66 – Stonecrest
• Store #296 – Old Towne
• Store #30  –  Arboretum
• Store #27  – The Shops at Blakeney

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My Patriotic Table 

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy 4th!