We had some friends up to Becket last night.  Amy, Colin and their adorable daughter Lucy drove up from New Haven and Ashley, who lives in San Francisco, drove over from Boston where she had some meetings.  Sadly, Ashley’s husband Dave and beautiful baby girl Nora couldn’t make it this trip.  We’re hoping to all get together over Labor Day weekend!  Lucy and Angus hit it off and the adults enjoyed a good summer barbecue!

I made these ribs for the first time last summer and we loved them.  They definitely take a bit of time and quite an array of spices for the rub and sauce but believe me they are worth it!

I have made the recipe with both baby back and spare ribs.  Both rib types worked well.  I made 3 racks for 5 people and had some leftovers.  I cooked the ribs for a full 2 hours at 300 degrees before we put them on the grill.  We used a rib rack instead of placing the ribs directly on the grill grates.

Barbecue sauce fits into the same category as tomato sauce for me — there can never be enough — so I doubled the rib sauce recipe.  Definitely cook the sauce for at least 30 minutes so it cooks down and thickens.

We had several side dishes with the ribs — Green Bean Salad, Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Peppers and Farfalle with Salsa Verde and Grilled Ricotta Salata.

We finished the meal off with a homemade key lime pie!

Overall great food and even better company made for a great summer kickoff!

EJ’s Simple Ribs
Emeril Lagasse, Everyday Food

• 2 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• Coarse salt
• 2 slabs baby back ribs (about 2 pounds total)
• Vegetable oil, for grates

In a small bowl, combine mustard powder, paprika, celery salt, onion powder, red-pepper flakes, garlic powder, celery seed and 1 teaspoon salt. Rub slabs on both sides with the spice mixture and refrigerate, loosely covered, for 2 hours.

Heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Stack slabs on a double layer of aluminum foil; tightly wrap. Place on a rack on a baking sheet. Cook until meat pulls away from the bone and is easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Heat grill to medium-high heat; lightly oil grates. Carefully remove ribs from foil, pouring off any liquid. Brush generously on both sides with Rib Sauce; grill ribs until sauce begins to bubble and brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve ribs with any leftover sauce, if desired.

Emeril’s Rib Sauce

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground black pepper
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup canned beef broth
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes.

Makes 2 cups.