Dry-Rubbed Baby-Back Ribs

I’ll be the first to admit that I am sort of a prissy eater and I don’t like messy food.  Ribs have never been something I’ve craved because 1.) until this last April, I hadn’t had any that I really loved, 2.) I’d never made any that took less than two hours, and 3.) my fingers get sticky and by the end of it all I am just a mess with BBQ sauce and pieces of napkin all over my hands and face.  See?  Prissy.  But after making our Baby-Back Ribs that Fall Off the Bone recipe back in April, I am now willing to overlook a few sticky fingers and messy napkins.  Those ribs are mouth-watering good.  The only issue I have with them is how long they take to make.  They’ve become a special recipe meant for holidays or big barbecues so they don’t get to make many appearances.

So I’ve been wanting a similar recipe but one that I can make much faster so that we can have it during the week.  We gave these dry-rubbed ones a try and they have become an instant favorite in our house.  We’ve adapted our recipe from one I found in Real Simple magazine, the July 2088 issue. The dry-rub is incredibly simple to throw together and the only work you really need to do is get the rub on the ribs and keep an eye on your grill.  These babies are done in less than an hour and taste delicious.  We usually half the recipe and I tend to buy boneless pork ribs (that I can eat with a knife and fork) but I’ve loved the rub on some messy ribs too.  (Be sure to tone down the chili powder and pepper for a milder flavor.)