Best Ever Ribs Recipe

All this spring-like weather has my mind turning to outdoor activities.  And chores...I have to admit that the yard, which got torn up last summer when we took the pool out, looks pretty bad.  Hubby plans to get a load (or two) of topsoil in once spring is here for good and straighten things out.  Me, I'm thinking of where new flower beds or raised-bed gardens can go.

Another thing taking root in my mind is warm weather foods and what kind of food says warm weather more than barbecue?  I came across a recipe for barbecue ribs in Mary Kay Andrews's book The Fixer Upper.  We had a bit of a warm-ish spell a few weeks back so I gave it a try and they met with rave reviews.  They were simple to make, though they do take a lot of time. Anyway, with a few more warm days yet to come and spring not that far off, I thought I'd share the recipe with you.

Jimmy Maynard's Beer-braised Barbecued Ribs

2 racks of ribs

Your favorite dry rub for steak or pork (I used McCormick's steak rub)

2 onions, sliced thin

1 bottle of dark beer

Line a 9 x 12 baking pan with aluminum foil. (I found that to be too small for the racks of ribs I had....just use any size that fits them.)

Let ribs reach room temperature - approximately 2 hours.  Apply generous amounts of dry rub.  Let stand for an hour to absorb spices.

Line bottom of pan with sliced onions and set ribs atop onions.

Pour beer over meat.  (I used a large can of Guinness, but I'm sure there are cheaper dark beers out there if you don't want to pay that much.)

Cover pan tightly with foil.  Bake at 250 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until tender.

This is how they look after slow roasting.

Remove from pan, and finish on grill over white coals.  (We have a gas grill so did them on medium heat.)  Cook to desired color, 6 to 8 minutes on each side.

May brush with your favorite barbecue sauce immediately before removing ribs. (I used original Sweet Baby Ray's.)

Then get your bib on and enjoy because these things go fast.  My family had them all cut and divvied up before I got a picture.  This was what was left!

You really need all day to prepare them, but they are so easy and they smelled heavenly.  My family is already asking when I'm going to make them again.

Some of Ms. Andrews's books contain recipes for dishes mentioned in the book, but I've found she has an actual cookbook, The Beach House Cookbook, that I'm going to have to get my hands on.