back. baby back.

I'm back. It has August was a crazy month that included a trip to Scandinavia, a lot of packing, moving, unpacking, painting and trying to make a new home in a new place. Lincoln is good. It is treating me well so far. This biggest problem I am having is the food. I can't cook it. I have no kitchen and I am without kitchen for at least two more weeks. I have a microwave, but that doesn't lead to much gourmet cooking, if you know what I mean.

What that does mean is that I can catch up on the recipes that have been collecting on my computer for a while. So today I will take you back in time to the fourth of July. (Imagine a time machine sound here...) This recipe is probably coming at a bad time, as the weather really is starting to take us into fall. But maybe it is coming at the exact right time so you can use it for one of your last of the season grill outs or maybe for some pre-football tailgating.


Anyway, I got it into my head that I was going to make ribs for the fourth. There had been so many rib and brisket specials on TV that I really wanted to try my hand at it. I knew that the whole smoking thing would be a bit out of my league (at least for now) so I needed something easier yet still mighty tasty. Enter The Kitchen Sink. She always comes to the rescue right when I am searching for a recipe. And the day before I needed to shop for the fourth, there was this recipe.


And it was perfection. Exactly what I wanted and so yummy. The barbeque sauce is awesome and I have since made it again and used it on pork tenderloin where it also worked great.


So, take advantage of these final days of summer and do some grilling. A couple ribs and a piece of corn on the cob will make winter seem a lot farther away.

Bourbon-Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Bon Appetit

5 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup bourbon
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon plum sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon hot chili paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 2 1/4- to 2 1/2-pound racks baby back pork ribs
1 cup pineapple juice

Whisk first 11 ingredients in small bowl.

Do ahead: Glaze can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place long sheet of heavy-duty foil on each of 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle rib racks on all sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 rib rack on each foil sheet. Fold up sides of each foil sheet around rib rack to form boat-like shape. Pour 1/2 cup pineapple juice over each rib rack. Fold up foil to seal packets. Bake until ribs are tender, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Remove ribs from foil packets. Transfer to roasting pan; pour any juices from foil over and cool.

Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Cut each rib rack in half. Grill until browned, brushing frequently with glaze and turning often, about 10 minutes. Cut racks between bones into ribs.