Monday Meals: Ribs in a Blanket

It's official! Today is Opening Day for MLB teams all over the country! So it's time the Cool Dads Cook Crew provides you with some delicious tailgate recipes!

 I think it is safe to say that Doug in the Arkansas Test Kitchen LOVES to grill (as a matter of fact, he bought his grill a Valentine's Day present), and he is always looking for new and fascinating things to cook and wrap in bacon. Not too long ago, both Test Kichens collaborated on a recipe that involves all of Doug's favorite things: meat, and bacon. Folks, we give you Bacon Wrapped Ribs, or like Doug calls them Ribs in a Blanket.
 
Looking for further proof Doug is a grilling fanatic? The day he made this recipe; he went outside to start the fire, but by the time the coal was ready to be placed in the smoker, it was raining pretty hard. Did that deter Doug? NO! He stood out in the rain for 2+ hours making these great ribs.


Bacon Wrapped Ribs/Ribs in a Blanket

3 lbs. of boneless country style ribs
Rib rub to taste
1 1/2 lbs. bacon
Toothpicks
Barbecue Sauce

Directions:
1. Cut off any additional fat on the ribs(any fat that is visible and easy to cut off). Remember you want a little fat to keep the meat juicy.
2. Liberally season meat with rib rub.
3. Wrap each rib with bacon. Some ribs may require more than 1 piece of bacon. Use a toothpick to keep the bacon wrapped on the meat during the cooking process. Be careful! You want to make sure you can find all the toothpicks when the ribs are done cooking. No one wants to have to perform the Heimlich maneuver over toothpicks.
4. Let meat sit out for 2 hours loosely covered.
5. Start your fire, I love using a fire chimney and fire starter bricks.  These can be found on Amazon.com . The biggest advantage to using a fire chimney is you're not using lighter fluid- which means your food won't taste like it later.
6. Remember to always brush and oil your grill grate.
7. Set your grill up for indirect grilling
8. Place a piece of fruit wood on the fire (always use fruit wood for pork and chicken, it just tastes better).
9. Once the smoker or grill starts smoking, place your meat on the grill.
10. Allow your meat to smoke on the grill until it reaches 200 degrees (be patient, or as my parents always taught me, patience is a virtue)
11. Once the meat reaches 200 degrees, take a basting brush and barbecue sauce and baste the meat placing it close to the fire to allow the sauce to caramelize, but not burn.
12. You will only want your meat on the fire about 1 minute per side. Anything more could cause the sauce to become burnt.
13. Bring the ribs into the house, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 15 - 30 minutes (trust us: patience is a virtue- you will love this).
14. Remove the toothpicks and enjoy some great meat.
We hope you love our first tailgate recipe as much as we enjoyed sharing it with you!

Play Ball!
The Cool Dads Crew