Barbecuing is Back!

Ingredients
4 racks of St. Louis style pork side ribs
1/2 cup salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp lemon pepper
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp chile pepper
1 Tbsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dry ground garlic
1/2 tsp allspice
4 oz hickory wood chips

Method
In a bowl, mix together all ingredients except for the ribs and wood chips. Remove the silver skin from the underside of the ribs using a fork or butter knife. Rub ribs well on both sides with mixture. Wrap ribs and refrigerate for 24 hours. Soak wood chips for at least 12-16 hours to prevent them from smoking too fast.

To Smoke
Preheat barbecue to 200°F. If it’s an option, use only one burner. Place the wood chips in a roasting pan right on the coals or burners. Lay the ribs across the top rack and close for 1 1/2 hours. Rotate the ribs and close for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the meat is falling off the bones. Let the ribs rest at room temperature for 15 minutes while letting the barbecue heat up to maximum temperature. Baste ribs on both sides with your favourite barbecue sauce. Place back on grill for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until the barbecue sauce is lightly caramelized. Serves 4.

Caribbean Cocktails
Beer is good. Then again so is rum. Oh, and then there’s tequila. Why choose? While the
beer chills in the cooler, rev up the blender and impress your guests with sweet summer
drinks from Allan Tiwari of Muddy Waters.

MARGARITA
In a blender mix up 6 cups ice and 4 oz fresh lime juice.
Add 8 oz frozen strawberries.
Blend until smooth.
Dip rims of margarita glasses into a shallow bowl of lime juice and sugar the rim.
Pour frozen mixture into margarita glasses.
For each drink add 3⁄4 oz tequila and 1⁄4 oz triple sec.
Stir and garnish with a lime wedge.

RUM PUNCH
Fill a tall glass with ice
Add 1 oz coconut rum
4 oz pineapple juice
A splash of cranberry juice
A splash of 7-Up
Stir and garnish with a pineapple wedge.

BRUSH
Your typical barbecue sauce brush might last you one season and then get frayed, splayed and caked with oil and dried sauce. This year, pick up a silicone brush, which is easy to clean and dry. We found this one at Casa Idea on Academy Road, but they are available at just about any local kitchen store.

LIQUID SMOKE
For those without a smoker in the back yard, a few teaspoons of liquid smoke can add that distinct smoky flavour. Colgin makes a mesquite, a pecan and a hickory flavour, which can be added to any marinade or seasoning.

SHISH KEBAB
[shish kuh-BOB]
The boys from Muddy Waters say: Shish kebabs can be a tricky menu item to barbecue. You’re dealing with raw meat and
vegetables, so the cooking times are obviously very different. Cut smaller pieces of meat and larger vegetables to keep the cooking time the same for everything on the skewer.

IDEAS :
• Red and yellow pepper wedges
• Pineapple chunks
• Button mushrooms
• Portobello mushroom wedges
• Marinated extra firm tofu
• Shrimp
• Scallops
• Red onion wedges
• Marinated chicken, venison, turkey, beef or lamb strips
• Cherry tomatoes
• Zucchini wedges