Rib day!

I know....it's been over a month since I've posted, and I still owe pics of the wedding cake prep, but the pics are taking forever to download, so I'll write about ribs and complete the wedding cake post over the weekend.

I worked late today.  It happens somewhat regularly these days.  Tonight was one of those times when I had not given any thought to dinner at all.  I didn't give it any thought until I was driving home in fact.  I gave it thought, but I wasn't hungry and nothing was coming to mind.  We have a couple of leftover chicken breasts, so I thought maybe I'd do something with those, but still no plan in place when I drove into the garage.

But wait.  I can smell something as I step out of the car.  Hints of pork.  Hints of smoke.  Almost bacon like in aroma?

Hmmmm...am I dreaming here? 

I walk up the stairs and I continue to smell these heavenly scents.  B has cooked some pasta, and is sitting on a bar stool at the microwave counter eating.  Is that what I've been smelling? 

No.  No.  I can't completely process all of this, because I worked late, and my brain is running on empty if running at all.

I find G cleaning D's room out ready to turn into an office.  (D is at trucking school...more on that later.)  He (I mean G) greets me with a hug and a kiss and then very nonchalantly informs me that he is cooking the ribs.  Like it's an everyday occurence or something!

So THIS is the reason for the heavenly smells!  YES! 

What I don't tell him - and still haven't until he reads this as I type it - the cafe at work served ribs for lunch today, and while they were good, I was confident that G's ribs would beat.

Oh.  My.  Goodness. 

Oh.  My.  Goodness.

I had no idea just how much they would beat those ribs.  I don't know all that G did with the ribs, but I can tell you this much.  It involved emptying the steak seasoning bottle.  It involved watching 2 DVR'd episodes of Waltons as well as some time cleaning D's room.  It involved some cherry wood smoke. 

Get your cherry wood from the farmer at Soulard who sells chips for about 75 cents/pound.  Soak it for a long time until it's good and moist.  (I don't know how long that is.) 

Do other magical stuff to the ribs and then smoke them off of the fire until done - around 8pm or so.  I wish, oh how I wish, I could capture the smell along with this pic.  Think a campfire in the woods with a whole bunch of seasoning like garlic - all on steriods.

I could not believe how amazing this smelled.  When he layed the plate of ribs on the counter in the kitchen the smokey perfume was intoxicating.  Have you ever heard people say that if men could bottle the smell of a campfire in the woods, it would drive women wild?  Well this smell was something like that.  I had truly never smelled anything that incredible from a grill.  Never. 

I've tasted good ribs before.  I have.  But I have never tasted ribs like these.  These are what I've always dreamed ribs COULD taste like.  I'm serious here.  How do you describe the best of something that you have ever tasted?  Smokey.  Tender.  Meaty.  Seasoned.  Rib and finger licking.  They didn't need any sauce.  The corn on the cob and other things I made to go with were meaningless.  All that mattered were the ribs.

G tells me after that we MAY do ribs again sometime.  MAY?  Excuse me?  MAY?  I think not.  No, sir. The operative word is WILL. 

Period.  WILL.

Ribs.  Twice in one day.  Except really - it was only once.  But oh, one time done the best it can be is almost always better than multiple times of just ok.

Oh, and guess what else?  G roasts 2 marshmallows in the dying embers to ooey...gooey...toasted and melty perfection.  I couldn't grab a pic, cause they were that melty wonderful.  I don't want Hershey's with my marshmallows.  More on that later, but I suppose I could be accused of being a s'more snob, too....shhh...don't tell my friend, W....

Can I keep him please?

More on wedding cake later, I promise!!!