Well, today, thanks in part to a comment that Vinni Smith made, and also the fact that the wife had found Baby Backs to be on sale at Dominick's (Von's or Safeway to all you non-Chicago types), I fired up the old grill for the first time this season.

Slow cooking at a balmy 45 degrees, under what the National Weather Service called a "Light Rain" (not quite a drizzle), were two slabs of the best meat ever devised by God!

Cooking ribs is truly an art form (at least it is for us Chicago boys). First, you must remove that layer of "silverskin" off the inside of the slab. If you don't do that, your ribs 'r gonna be tough! Next, you drop them in a big pot of water, and heat them just until the pink goes away. I like to add a little Gahlic and a pinch or two of onion powder to this part. It just makes the meat taste all that much better.

The next part is almost the best. Well, eatin' 'ems the best, but this is close, and it's what makes the eatin' so much fun! You get out your favorite rub (I perfected mine nearly thirty years ago) and you work it into the meat. Now, you let them puppies marinate in that rub for a bit before rendering them to the fire. Now's the time to get the coals hot!

Just before you're going to introduce Porky the Rib to the brimstone, turn down the heat a tad. You don't want all that fine, fine meat to dry up now, do 'ya? Here's where the babysittin' begins, so hopefully you've prepared ahead (while the ribs were marinatin' of course), getting your sauce and utensils, plate, etcetera all ready. Put them puppies on the fire, inside facing down and cover the grill. Let 'em simmer there for five or ten, and then give them a flip. Slightly brown the meat side, and then flip them back over. Do this repeatedly until they are cooked through and through. About ten minutes before they are ready for removal, get your sauce (I usually make my own, but due to impromptu circumstances, opted for Sweet Baby Ray's this time), and spread it on thick, starting with the underside. Now, flip them babies and coat 'em real good on the meat side. As Sweet Baby Ray says, "The sauce is the boss," and you sure don't want to shortchange here. Cover 'em back up and allow the sauce to glaze for a few. OK, now, pick up your cover, coat them once more, cover for about two minutes, then scoop them babies up and take 'em straight away to the dinner table.

Now, I like sweet potatos and southern style spinach (or greens) with my ribs, but you may prefer another side. one thing's for certain, and that is white bread. 'Ya ain't eatin' ribs unless you're moppin' the sauce with white bread. That's soul!

Ah, now all I need is a slice of either Key Lime or Sweet Potato pie! Life really is good!!!

Thanks Vinni (and Maggie)!