I don’t want this to turn into a BBQ blog, just like I didn’t want it to turn into a strictly parenting blog. Nevertheless, I have to tell y’all about my first major foray into slow, smoky BBQ. I started with four racks of ribs — three racks of babyback ribs, one rack of spareribs. I mixed up a big batch of dry rub yesterday, and applied it to the racks, then put them in the fridge overnight.

Then I mixed up a batch of Kansas City-style sauce. Kind of tart, with lots of molasses flavor.

This morning, I started up the Traeger with a mix of oak and hickory pellets. I was shocked to discover that, as big as the grill was, there was no way I was going to fit all four racks on it. Fortunately, the wife had picked up our smoking rack, so I had plenty of extra space.

I started the ribs off at around 250 degrees, and gradually backed them down over the course of the day to about 190, where they stayed for the rest of the afternoon. Every time I checked on them and turned them over, I gave them a light mist with apple juice, to keep them moist. The last time I turned them over, they started to fall apart, so I gave them another hour and called it good.

Oh, yeah.

Dinner was ribs, with the Kansas City-style sauce, some baked beans I doctored up special and cooked slow in the oven, and fresh pineapple.

And it was goooood. Tender, tender meat falling off the bone. The ribs had a pronounced pink ’smoke ring’ in the meat. Oh yes, I love my grill. Maybe I’ll do a brisket next….