Sweet, Sticky Goodness

Rib Date: Saturday October 8, 2011
Attending Ribsters: Stults family, Gregory family, McDonald family, Perry family, Butler family, Eric and Jerry Mathers as the Beaver.

Sorry for the tardiness.  I actually drafted this a couple weeks ago.  Trust me, it was awesome.  Funny.  Insightful.  My best work.  And then it got zapped; I got pissed and nearly tossed the iPad across the room and said screw it. 

Oh yeah, I may look happy in the photos accompanying this, but I actually was in the early stages of feeling like death.  Turns out it was e-coli and these ribs were my last "successful" meal for a couple of weeks.  If you are seeking a quick, painful, horrible weight loss plan, do what I did!  Go to Guadalajara, get e-coli, and watch the weight melt away!  10 lbs in two weeks.  Not that I could not stand to lose a few, but, in reality, e-coli sucks badly.  I can't recommend it.

Nothing like a good e-coli story to lead into your rib review.  But there is a tie in, as the e-coli caused a time out in our plan to tackle a recipe every week or two.  We intend to resume tomorrow.  But for now, it's Maple Glazed Rib review time!

The Maple Glazed Ribs were the best thing to come from Canada since ice hockey.  And Rush. 

The ribs had a basic rub, followed by about four hours on the smoker, periodically receiving a glaze primarily made of maple syrup.  As you may imagine, the maple glaze induced a sweetness to the meat, which was accompanied but a touch of peppery spice from the rub and then, of course, the smoke.  Pretty frickin' good.  Sort of the Geddy Lee of meat.

Laura Gregory succinctly described them as "candied bacon."  JR McDonald not only exclaimed the ribs "better than a 12 pack of Coors Light," but he astutely added that the ribs tasted like "when you dip your bacon in the pancake syrup."  Exactly.  Ironically, both Paul Perry and Eric Jorgensen independently said the ribs were "sweet, sticky goodness."

We also did a Beer Can Chicken with the Maple Glazed Ribs.  The chicken was moist and tender, but Ryan Gregory had a hard time getting beyond the can of Coors Light shoved up the chicken's rectum.  He said it reminded him of his last bachelor party.

Kids Corner: Kids LOVED these ribs.  Sweet and not spicy.  My daughter Eilidh said they were "amazing and great for kids."  Her vegetarian friend Delaney stepped off the veggie train for a moment, tried these ribs and said, "they were actually pretty good."

Wine Pairing: We had a nice Oakville Ranch Chardonnay with the ribs.  It paired nicely.  I think next time, given the sweet breakfast flavor going on, a bottle of bubbles would be interesting to to try with them.

Tomorrow night we are looking at Mint Julep Ribs with a Bourbon Mint BBQ Sauce!