Grilled Barbecue Ribs and Corn on the Cob

A favorite cookout for our family is grilled barbecued ribs and grilled corn on the cob. My husband always cooks the ribs the same way his father taught him, and the result is moist, tender, absolutely delicious ribs every time.

There are a couple of different ways we like to cook corn and they're both good. We added some delicious baked beans with bacon, plus fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, sliced up to complete the meal.

We usually buy ribs for barbecues on sale and cook them on holidays, like Memorial Day or July 4 when the whole family comes to visit. The ribs must be removed from the freezer and thawed out in the refrigerator preferably a day ahead of time.

Early on the day of the cookout my husband will cut the ribs, usually keeping about two ribs together. He puts the ribs in the pressure cooker, as this is what will tenderize the meat and keep it moist and tender. A pressure cooker is very hot, more so than boiling water, which is why the connective tissue of the meat breaks down.

Fortunately, I purchased a large pressure cooker many years ago, so I could preserve fruits and vegetables, as they can be expensive. However, if you are going to purchase a pressure cooker it should be no smaller than an 8-quart size. The whole process won't work if you don't have enough room above the meat for this hot steam.

He puts in a small amount of water just under the tray that holds the meat. He cooked this batch of meatfor 20 min. on a pressure of 10, which can be varied according to the quantity of meat you are cooking. Of course, the meat just sits in the pressure cooker when it is finished until the pressure goes down, and you can open the lid.

Now his work is done until it's time to cook on the grill to brown the ribs and add the barbecue sauce. You can make your own sauce, and there's a huge selection in any grocery store. We have become quite fond of Baby Ray's. This part doesn't take very long since the meat is already cooked.The corn is also put on the grill at the same time.

Sometimes we also smoke ribs, chicken and a variety of other meat, which is also great for a picnic type meal.

I chose to cook the grilled corn on the cob with the husk removed and put it in aluminum foil, primarily because I don't like pulling the corn silk out after the corn is hot. My method is to remove all the husks and the silk, then discard.

I soak the corn in cold water for 20 minutes, making sure it is completely covered. Not everyone wants to soak their corn, but I found it provides extra moisture for cooking and will steam the corn inside the aluminum foil. You can remove all the silk and inner husks, and cook the corn on the grill with just the outer husks. Pull them back right before the corn is done, and you get the grilled effect.

Remove the corn from the water and shake off the excess moisture. Tear off squares of aluminum foil for each ear and place diagonally on the foil. I brush the kernels lightly with olive oil and do not use butter until the corn comes off the grill.

You can put any seasonings you like on the corn at this point. I added a little garlic, some chopped onion, salt and black pepper and rolled the aluminum foil around each piece. Some other herbs you might try are nutmeg, basil, cilantro or oregano. Place the corn on a medium heat grill and rotate every few minutes, for about 15 to 20 minutes.

You will know the corn is done if you press a kernel and the juice squirts out. Be careful not to overcook your grilled corn, as it will become mushy. Carefully remove the corn from the grill, as it is very hot at this point.

At this point I get all the foods on big trays and people can put butter on their grilled corn and add more seasoning if they want. Everyone wants some of the barbequed ribs.

Once the plates are full this is a time when things get very quiet at the table,, because everyone loves this meal. Of course, no meal is complete with out dessert, so we had a delicious banana pudding.

This meal is delicious and so easy to make also. Another plus is there's very little cleanup, which makes me happy. Most importantly it is always a day of laughter and fun with my family.