Hey South Carolina, Let’s Eat Out Side!

If you’ve been around a while, by now you know that the last day of August is also National South Carolina Day. South Carolina, once a part of Carolina, began as one of the original colonies of the New World. It was at Fort Sumter that the Confederates volleyed the shots heard round the world.

Fort Sumter was built on an artificial island as a way of protecting America from attacks launched along our seas. After Washington was attacked and held by the British Navy during the war of 1812, America felt the need to better protect its harbor cities. The island that is now home to Fort Sumter was originally a sandbar. Realizing the need to fortify the coast, in 1827 a group of engineers surveyed the area and concluded that the sand bar was a suitable location to build a fort for defense. Construction began in 1829 when seventy thousand tons of granite were transported from New England to raise an artificial island. By 1834 a timber foundation several feet beneath the water had been laid. It was then decided the fort itself needed to be constructed of brick for fortification. While still under construction, the guns of the fort were pointed seaward rather than toward Charleston and the growing Confederate discourse.

While Fort Sumter held no military value for the north, the attack on the fort was a symbolic victory of defiance by the south. Only the exterior of the fort was ever finished. The interior remains incomplete.

Fort Sumter has a twin sister fort on the California Coast. Fort Point, under the Golden Gate Bridge, was constructed using the same plans. Fort Point is complete, including all interior buildings. Like Fort Sumter, Fort Point’s guns faced the ocean. This was to protect San Francisco, and thereby California, from Confederate navel attacks that never came.

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Today is also eat outside day. Let me tell you, barbecued ribs, be it slow cooked in the oven or smoked on the grill, just taste better when eaten outdoors. That’s what patios are for, right?

Slow Roasted Baby Back Ribs
Baby Back Ribs
3 lbs (2 slabs) Baby Back Ribs
1 medium White Onion

With the rack in the middle position, heat oven to 275-degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs and discard. Rinse ribs under cold water; pat try with paper towels. Cut onion in half from root to tip. Peel each onion half, then cut into half-moon slivers. Break slivers apart, set aside.

Sweet Rub
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ground Mustard
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon Onion Powder

In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, cayenne powder and onion powder. Whisk to combine sugar and spices well

Sprinkle about half of the spiced mixture over the meatier side of the ribs. Massage rub into the ribs until evenly coated on meaty side. Turn ribs over, rub again.

Place the rubbed ribs on a piece of heavy-duty foil. Make sure meaty side is facing up. Evenly cover the ribs with sliced onions. Wrap ribs tightly in the foil and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the warm oven to bake for 2-1/2 hours. After slow roasting time is, remove ribs from the oven and carefully open the foil. Check ribs for falling off the bone tenderness. If not yet there, continue to roast another 20 minutes, check again.

Once satisfied with the tenderness, remove ribs from oven; unwrap and discard both foil and drippings. Transfer ribs to the foil-lined baking sheet. Place onions in a skillet to fry as a bed for the finished ribs.

Finishing Touches
1 bottle favorite Barbecue Sauce

Brush ribs generously with barbecue sauce. Turn broiler element to high and continue to cook another 8 minutes or until the sauce begins to bubble and caramelize.

Remove glazed ribs from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spread grilled onions out on a platter. Cut ribs into serving sizes (2 ribs each) and arrange on the platter. Serve with Corn Cake Muffins and Ranch Style Beans.

Sweet Corn Cake Muffins
Mixing Bowl I
2 cups Flour
1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position. Heat oven to 400-degrees. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin, set aside.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder ad baking soda. Set bowl aside.

Mixing Bowl II
8 tablespoons Butter
2 large Eggs
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Milk
1-1/2 cups frozen Corn

Dice butter, place in a glass measuring cup. In 20 second intervals, melt butter and set aside.

Whisk eggs until well combined and pale yellow in color, about 20 seconds vigorously. Add sugar, continue to whisk vigorously until eggs and sugar homogenous, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter in 3 additions, whisking completely after each addition. Add half of the sour cream and half or the milk. Whisk to combine. Whisk in remaining sour cream and milk.

Add egg mixture to the flour mixture, gently combining with a soft spatula until the batter is blended an moist. Take care not to over-mix. Gently fold in the frozen corn.

With an large cupcake scoop divide batter evenly among muffin cups, allowing batter to mound up. DO NOT level or flatten tops.

Bake in the heated oven until muffins are a light-gold and a tester comes out almost clean, about 18 minutes rotating the tin halfway through baking time.

Remove from oven, let muffins cool for a few minutes in the tins. Serve warm with more butter if desired.

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Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as His own.