Can You Spare a Rib For Father's Day?

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

When it comes to Father’s Day, we all know that grilling is not only an option, but a requirement. Barbecue has stood the test of time as the one of the manliest of activities and for good reason. Cooking with fire is an elemental pursuit that connects us to our ancestors, and the results taste pretty darn good too. But there is an important difference to note between the traditional use of the terms grilling and barbecuing; while we think of the former as a quick process of cooking over high heat, the latter is a slow process using indirect heat or hot smoke.

You can have it both ways this Father’s Day with these slow cooker baby back ribs, which are first slow cooked to tenderness and then quickly grilled over a hot fire to achieve a wonderful crispy exterior and juicy interior. While the customary method of making barbecued ribs is to smoke them slowly over wood chips, if you are short of time and lack a smoker, then your crockpot may be the next best thing. I made them this way for Father’s Day last year, and the results were so good that I plan to make it an annual tradition.

How to flavor them? Well this is a matter of personal preference. Barbecue has many regional variations both in the United States and other parts of the world. Each regional style varies depending upon preference for dry rub or wet rub, and whether to serve sauce on the side. The most commonly known types of barbecued ribs are dry rubbed Memphis style and sweet-sauced Kansas City style.

Now onto meatier questions – whether to make spare ribs or baby back ribs. They are cut from different sides of the pig - baby back ribs are cut from the loin (the same as pork chops) and spare ribs are cut from the belly (The bacon side). Some prefer baby backs for their delicate tenderness while others may like spare ribs for their Flintstone-like proportions and hearty flavor.

The recipe below couldn’t be simpler, whether you use baby back or spare ribs. First you get a quick, flavorful dry rub together and rub your racks of ribs with it. If you don’t have time to measure the various spices, you can make this process even simpler by substituting your favorite store-bought rub. Plan on making a half to a whole rack per person, depending on appetites. Place the ribs in the slow cooker and cook on low heat with a small amount of liquid (in this case, citrus juices) for a few hours. You can do this part up to two days in advance and just refrigerate them until you are ready to grill.

When it’s grilling time, paint the ribs with your favorite homemade or store bought barbecue sauce and simply grill for five minutes per side (or let Dad do it if he is the grill master). This technique will result in succulent, meaty ribs with a rich caramelized crust. For side dishes you can serve corn on the cob, potato salad, and coleslaw.

And what more could a father ask for then a great home-grilled meal, a little sun, a cool breeze, and some family time!

Serves/Makes: 8

• 4 racks baby back ribs (about 2 pounds each)
• 5 teaspoons brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

***Citrus Barbecue Sauce***

• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper