Ultimate Barbecued Ribs

Yoga was extreme today!  There were headstands and back bends galore.  My body obviously feels much better today as compared to Monday.  Otherwise, I would have probably snuck out of class today when she rubbed her hands together and said "go to the wall, we are doing head stands today"!

I had a revelation on Monday after class.  My yoga teacher had posted on her facebook fan page "Your issues are in your tissues".  Over the weekend I was feeling a little uptight and just not right.  On Monday, my body was overly tight and not wanting to move in the ways I make it move three times a week.  So, my feelings are that my body was very tight all weekend and therefore made me feel "uptight and just not right".  Sometimes we don't know what to expect from our bodies and it can have an affect on our personalities as well.  Memories of the past that can disturb one's well-being and keep us from reaching our full potential in all areas of our lives.  For some of us, it can even hinder us from our ability to heal pain and dis-ease.  Don't let your past events be so strong that they begin to define you and cripple you into thinking small.  Be strong and have no regrets.  Let yourself learn from your mistakes and keep on keeping on!

Speaking of bodies, I barbecued some ribs up over the weekend!  Oh, is that unappetizing to put those two together?  Well, don't worry, they were baby back pork ribs....  These had a deep, rich flavor and they were falling off the bone yummy.  Of course they were, they were Tyler Florence's Ultimate Barbecued Ribs!  Anything from Tyler Florence is to. die. for.

Ultimate Barbecued Ribs

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Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients for the Ribs:

• 2 slabs baby back ribs (about 3 pounds)

Ingredients for the Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 bacon slice
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups ketchup - I used organic
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 Tbsp. red vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250.  
2. Put the ribs on a baking sheet and stick them in the oven.  Let the ribs bake, low and slow, for 1 1/2 hours.  
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the thyme bunch and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle.  Heat a 2 count of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the thyme bundle and cook slowly for 3 -4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste.  
4. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes.  Add all the rest of the sauce ingredients.  Give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low.  Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors.  
5. Baste the ribs with the sauce and let them continue cooking, basting twice more, for 30 more minutes.  
6. When the ribs are cooked, take them out of the oven.  You can let them hang out like this until you are ready to eat.  
7. Preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill to medium hot, or preheat a broiler.  
8. If you are grilling outside, take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square.  Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates to make a non-stick surface.  
9. Throw your ribs on the grill or under the broiler and cook, basting a couple of times with the sauce, until crisp and charred about 5 minutes on each side.  Pick the onion and garlic out of the barbecue sauce and serve with the ribs.

~ Enjoy!