Summer Grillin': Newcastle's Sticky Sweet Newkie Ribs

While the weather outside may still be frightful, I'm sure you're already thinking warm, sunny thoughts as you begin to work on your summer issues. And what's more "summery" than delicious food sizzling over a hot grill while you sit back, relax and enjoy a cold beer? Well, we couldn't come up with anything else either, so I wanted to share with you a recipe especially designed by TV's Sam "The Cooking Guy" to match Newcastle Brown Ale's smooth nutty sweetness with equally full-flavored food: Sticky Sweet Newkie Ribs.

Sticky Sweet Newkie Ribs
4-6 servings
Here’s all you need to know to make great ribs: pre-cook them first, and then finish them on the grill with a great sauce (which follows below of course.) Do that and you’ll be a fricking rib genius. To pre-cook them though, I roast them in the oven. I do not subscribe to the “boiling them in a large pot of water’ theory. Because apart from ‘boiling away’ the flavor – ‘boiled meat’ sounds absolutely disgusting to me.

2 racks pork back ribs, 5-6 pounds
4 tablespoons white vinegar
½ cup plain barbecue sauce
¼ cup Newcastle Brown Ale
1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Place ribs and vinegar in a large baking or casserole dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake about 60 minutes or until very tender
While they cook, combine bbq sauce, Newcastle and brown sugar in a small bowl – mix well and set aside
When ribs are done, remove from oven and carefully lift off the foil – there will be a ton of steam
The ribs are now fully cooked and just need to be finished on the grill
Heat your grill to medium/high and place ribs meat side down without sauce, but you can baste the top with the sauce
Cook until they start to develop nice grill marks, and turn over - now baste the top side
Now it’s a matter of basting and letting the ribs get some great color on each side
Give them one extra baste when they've been removed from the grill before serving