Since it’s the last official weekend of Summer, I decided I’d do a cook a day to celebrate the holiday.  Today was Ribs and Chicken.

It wasn’t too bad, actually.  I mean, it’s work, but when you get to eat the fruits of your labors, how badly can you complain right?

Let’s tackle the ribs first.

I purchased three half-racks of spare ribs with the skirt meat still attached.  They looked like this:

They cut and package these this way when they have to use up the whole hogs they’ve had on hand too long. GREAT prices, good meat!

I did my usual mustard slather (plain yellow mustard to let the rub stick, it doesn’t change the flavor one bit).

Yellow mustard. FREEDOM’s Mustard, if you remember when we hated everything called French.

I applied the rub generously and slapped them on my smoker which was running around 340° F.  I let them smoke with hickory wood for about 2 hours. Half racks cook faster it seems.

When they were done, I removed them to let them rest for 30 minutes.

That’s one and a half full racks of spare ribs, slathered with Garland Jack’s Secret Six BBQ sauce.

Then I sliced them apart, leaving the skirt meat attached as I went.

There’s nothing sexier than a huge bowl full of spare ribs.

While the purists among us might argue to remove the skirt meat before cooking, to them I say “Cook your own damned ribs!”.  Honestly, when you’re cooking for taste, not points on the competition circuit, who gives a damn how they look.  Were they tasty?  Yes?  Well you just won!  And that’s what I shoot for.

I’d rather my friends and family ENJOY the taste of the food than grade me on presentation.  That’s too damned uppity and quite honestly, how anal do you have to be to say “Well, your meal would have been perfect if only you had presented it on a bed of rare, organic, Peruvian virigin lettuce?”

Anyhow, I also did a pile of Chicken Drumsticks.  These I simply dusted with my patented Cinnamon Chipotle BBQ rub and grilled.  Basting them with more of Garland Jack’s sauce right before I served them up.

Don’t lick your monitor, that’s just low-class.

Anyhow, there’s just enough of everything left over to have a damn fine lunch tomorrow while we’re waiting on the 9 pound pork shoulder to smoke before pulling it.

Life is good when you’re not in a hurry.