Labor Day Ribs Without Laboring All Day

Labor Day seems like an odd holiday to celebrate by making one person work all afternoon over a hot grill.

Years ago, when I was still publishing Chef Wannabee’s SMARTKitchen Newsletter as part of Your Smart Kitchen, one of the recurring ideas was to make entertaining easier on the cook. That business and newsletter ran for nearly eight years, and although a lot has changed since then, I still agree with that part.

A holiday meal should be good. It should feel a little special.

But the person cooking it should also get to enjoy the day.

For Labor Day, ribs work surprisingly well because they look like a major production without necessarily requiring one.

Ribs Don’t Need Constant Attention

The traditional approach is low and slow over indirect heat.

On a four-burner gas grill, that usually means turning on the outside burners and leaving the middle burners off, then putting the ribs over the unlit section. If the ends extend over direct heat, cover them loosely with foil for protection. Keep the lid closed and let the grill do most of the work.

The exact temperature matters less than avoiding high direct heat. Somewhere around 275 to 300 degrees is a comfortable target.

Season the ribs ahead of time with whatever dry rub you like. Then put them on the grill, close the lid and resist the urge to inspect them every six minutes.

Barbecue seems to attract people who enjoy complicated procedures.

I am not one of them.

If you like sauce, add it near the end. Most barbecue sauces contain enough sugar that putting them on too early is a good way to create something resembling roofing material.

Or Cheat

There is an easier approach.

Cook the ribs in the oven.

You can do that earlier in the day or even the day before. Cook them slowly until they are tender, refrigerate them if necessary, and then finish them on the grill shortly before serving.

The grill reheats them, sets the sauce if you use one, and adds whatever degree of char you prefer.

Will a serious barbecue competitor approve?

Probably not.

Fortunately, none of them are invited.

The advantage is that when everyone arrives, most of the work is already done.

Corn Is Even Easier

Corn on the cob is almost designed for this kind of meal.

Shuck it, add butter and whatever seasoning you like (chili powder is my favorite), and wrap each ear in foil. Put it on the grill for about 12 minutes, give or take, turning it occasionally.

But here is the useful part.

You do not have to serve it immediately.

Take the wrapped corn off the grill, bundle it in a thick towel and put it into an empty cooler or ice chest. It will stay hot for quite a while.

Now you have taken one more item off the last-minute cooking list.

That is the objective.

Everything Else Should Be Easy

The rest of the meal does not need to demonstrate your culinary ambition.

If you want to make one thing from scratch, this tomato, cucumber and feta salad is worth the effort. Make it well ahead of time and you are still finished before anyone arrives. (see below)

Good bread can come from a bakery.

Potato salad or coleslaw can be made earlier. Or cheat again, get it at Costco and serve it out of your own bowls.

Dessert can be something simple. Strawberry shortcake still works. So does pie. Costco offers several alternatives. Even easier, assign dessert to one of your guests.

There is no award for producing six homemade side dishes while everyone else is sitting outside with a drink.

One of the things we used to suggest in the old SmartKitchen newsletter was to keep Labor Day entertaining simple enough that the host could actually enjoy the party. I reread some of that old material recently.

Surprisingly, I still agree with myself.

The Real Trick Is Timing

The easiest holiday meals are not necessarily the ones with the easiest recipes.

They are the ones where almost nothing has to happen at the same time.

Cook the ribs early.

Make the salad early.

Grill the corn early and hold it hot.

Set out the bread.

Then, shortly before eating, put the ribs back on the grill for the final heat, sauce and char.

That is about as complicated as I want Labor Day to get.

Labor Day Without the Labor

There is something satisfying about ribs on a holiday weekend.

They take time, but they do not require much attention. They make the backyard smell right. They look impressive when they hit the table.

And if you plan it correctly, most of the work happens before anybody arrives. Which leaves the cook free to do something almost revolutionary.

Sit down.

Eat.

Have a drink.

Talk to the people who came over.

Maybe even enjoy Labor Day.

That still seems like pretty good advice.

Tomato Cucumber Feta Salad

Dressing

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Salad

• 3 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• 6 Persian, Kirby, or mini cucumbers, striped with a peeler and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 (8-oz.) block feta, cubed
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves
• 3 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
• 6 basil leaves, torn

Directions

• For the dressing: Add the oil, vinegar, dill, chives, honey, mustard, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt, and pepper to a small mason jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine. Set aside
• For the salad: Arrange the tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta on a platter. Give the dressing a final shake. Spoon over a few tablespoons of the dressing and season everything with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Top with the parsley, dill, chives, basil, and another few tablespoons of the dressing. 
• Serve the salad with the remaining dressing on the side.