Spice rub

Summer is grilling time! If you aren’t as familiar with grills and how to use them to their full, delicious advantage, you can be out in the cold this time of year. Well, we’ve got 10 summer grilling tips to get you heated up and in the swing of summer.

1. Gas grills burn cleaner than charcoal grills, but give food a less smoky taste.
2. Grilling is a great way to eat healthy (because grilled vegetables taste so good!) as long as you pick lean meats to grill.
3. Make sure to preheat your grill 10-15 minutes before cooking, to get it to the right temperature and clean the grill.
4. Cooking on high heat caramelizes the food on the outside, boosting flavors on the inside.
5. Wet & dry rubs are a quick way to season meat and vegetables; marinades can be done the night before.
6. Apply BBQ sauce after grilling or near the end of the grilling time. The sugar in the sauce can burn more quickly, charring the meat on the outside too soon.
7. Try to turn the food as little as possible; keep the food on one side to get seared, turning it only once. If the outside is seared well and the inside isn’t done, consider lowering the heat or moving the food to the top shelf.
8. Follow the FDA’s guidelines to safe cooking temperatures for meats.
9. Pull food off the grill just before it’s done and let it rest for 5-10 minutes under foil; it will continue cooking and marinate in its own juices.
10. If you want to cut fat off the meat, do it after cooking. Fat helps the meat retain juices during cooking and it will taste better.

Zesty BBQ Ribs (recipe courtesy of Meals.com)

Ingredients for 8 servings:

RIBS

• 2 racks (about 4 pounds total) baby back ribs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons instant coffee
• 1 1/4 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 bottle (12 fluid ounces) amber ale or 1 1/2 cups dry red wine

BBQ SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken bouillon
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons chipotle adobo sauce

Directions:

FOR RIBS: FIT rack inside large roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Using knife, remove membranes from bone side of ribs (this step is very important for tender ribs). Pat ribs dry with paper towel; place on rack with meat side up.

COMBINE sugar, coffee granules, salt, garlic powder, coriander, pepper and cocoa in coffee or spice grinder; cover. Process until smooth. Lightly rub ribs with oil. Sprinkle with rub mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere to the ribs. Let stand at room temperature for no more than 1 hour.

PREHEAT oven to 250° F. Pour beer into bottom of roasting pan. Cover pan with foil; bake for 4 to 5 hours (this will be long enough for the meat to be very tender, but not falling off the bones). Prepare sauce during the last 30 minutes of baking.

PREHEAT grill. Grill ribs over medium flame, turning once, for 5 minutes. Brush with sauce during grilling. Let ribs rest for 10 minutes before serving.

FOR BBQ SAUCE: HEAT oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook for about 3 minutes or until tender. Add ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and bouillon. Stir until sugar and bouillon are dissolved. Stir in mustard, chili powder and adobo sauce. Cover; cook for 30 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it simmers.

Cook’s Tip: Double or triple the spice rub and store in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place. It will remain fresh for up to 1 month. Use 2 to 3 teaspoons rub per pound of meat. Rub is also great on pork chops, pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breasts and salmon fillets!