PEACHY BABY BACK RIBS

The NFL Gameday Cookbook  
by Ray “Dr. BBQ” Lampe  
(Chronicle Books, 2008, $24.95)

Everybody loves sweet sticky barbecued ribs. These are a little different and served without barbecue sauce, but feel free to add some if you like.

• 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue rub
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
• 3 full slabs (about 2 pounds each) baby back ribs, back membrane removed
• 1 1/2 cups peach preserves
• 6 tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup apple juice

Mix the rub and sugar together and sprinkle it on the ribs. Use about two-thirds on the meaty side and one-third on the boney side.
Prepare the grill for cooking over indirect low (300 degrees) heat, using peach wood or a combination of cherry and hickory for flavor.
Cook the ribs until they are nicely caramelized and looking great. This should take about 2 hours. Remove the ribs to a platter or sheet pan. Lay out 3 double-thick layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, each big enough to wrap a whole slab. Transfer each slab of ribs to a piece of foil. Top each slab with 1/2 cup of the preserves. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over each slab. As you fold each foil into a packet, pour 1/4 cup of the juice in under the ribs. Seal the packets snugly, being careful not to puncture the foil with the rib bones. Return them to the grill for 45 minutes.
At this point, you could let the ribs cool down to finish later. This is a great way to take the ribs to a game-day party at a friend’s house or at the game. To reheat them, put the cooked ribs on a direct medium-hot grill. Cook and flip them for just a few minutes, until they are warm and caramelized. Cut each slab into 3 pieces and serve. Makes 9 servings.

ANDIS 2010 AMADOR COUNTY BARBERA

A lot of thought, consideration and hard work went into creating the Andis Winery in Amador County. It is a state-of-the-art facility, which also shines with artistic beauty. Founder Andrew Friedlander chose Amador County for this venture after a lifetime in Honolulu, Hawaii. The function and design of this eye-catching winery work in harmony to produce the best of what can come from their 25-acre estate and some of the finest vineyard sources in the Sierra Foothills.

Andis 2010 Amador County Barbera is a wine of wonderful color, perfume and scent. Wisps of strawberry, plum and cherry aromas are present on the nose with tastes of raspberry, pomegranate and hints of coffee. This is a delicate wine that is easy to drink. It pairs well with just about all grilled meats, pasta dishes and Italian fare. It is a wine that leaves no hesitation to serve when wanting to thoroughly please one’s guests.

— Rick Mindermann
Rick is Store Director of Corti Brothers in Sacramento, personal assistant to Darrell Corti, and Culinary Blogger for Corti TV: sites.google.com/site/tvcorti/home/BLOG.

Wine bottle photo by Aaron Roseli