For the ribs:

For the rub and sauce:

In a sealable plastic bag, mix together all the marinade ingredients. Trim the ribs of the back flap. If desired, trim away the point end and the brisket portion. Put the ribs and the trimmed pieces in the marinade. Marinate 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to grill, remove the ribs and trimmed pieces from the marinade and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the rub all over the ribs and pieces, pressing it in. Set the ribs aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Prepare or preheat the grill for low indirect grilling, or about 250 to 275 degrees. Place the ribs away from the heat source and arrange the trimmed pieces around it (these will cook faster than the ribs; remove them from the grill after about 1 hour). Close the lid and grill about 2 1/2 hours.

After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, check them to make sure they are not drying out. If they are, wrap them in foil and put them back over indirect heat. This will keep them moist. Start checking the ribs for doneness; the meat should shrink away from the bones and the ribs should bend easily when you pick them up with tongs.

About 25 minutes before they are done, start saucing the ribs. If they are wrapped in foil, remove the foil. Brush with the Neely's barbecue sauce, close the lid and continue grilling until the sauce sets in. Sauce them several times.

Remove from the grill and let rest 10 minutes before slicing into serving portions.

Makes 4 generous servings.

NEELY'S BARBECUE SAUCE

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, stir frequently to prevent burning, reduce heat to very low simmer. Cook uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool. Store in a tightly sealed container up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 cups.

From "Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook" by Patrick and Gina Neely (Knopf, $27.95). Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.

You can adjust this marinade to your liking, adding more chili sauce or chipotle flakes for a more pronounced spicy kick.

SPICY BABY BACK RIBS WITH ORANGE GLAZE

For the marinade and glaze:

For the ribs:

In a glass measure, combine all the marinade ingredients. Remove half of the marinade and set it aside in the refrigerator. Place the ribs in a sealable plastic bag. You can fold them or cut them in half to fit better. Pour the marinade over the ribs. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat or prepare the grill for indirect heat over low to low-medium heat. The heat should be at a constant 250 to 275 degrees, with the heat source at one side of the grill.

Remove the ribs from the marinade (discard the marinade) and let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.

Brush the cooking grates clean and oil them. Place the ribs, meaty side up, on the grill away from the heat source. Close the lid and grill for about 2 hours (for whole racks). Check periodically that the heat is not getting too high.

Meanwhile, place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan. Whisk in the mustard and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until it's slightly reduced and has a glaze consistency.

Check the ribs for doneness. The bones should start pulling away from the meat and the meat should be tender but still hold together.

Brush the ribs with the glaze and close the lid. Continue cooking another 10 minutes or until the glaze sets. Glaze the ribs several times this way. Remove from the grill and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve with additional glaze if desired.

Makes 4 generous servings.

For this tangy recipe, look for tamarind juice in the ethnic aisle of most grocery stores.

TAMARIND-GLAZED COUNTRY-STYLE RIBS

For the marinade:

For the ribs:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade in the refrigerator for brushing on the ribs during grilling. Put the ribs in a sealable plastic bag and pour the remaining marinade over them. Marinate 4 hours and up to overnight.

Prepare the grill for indirect grilling over medium heat, about 325 degrees. (The heat will be on one side of the grill and the ribs off to another side.)

Remove the ribs from the marinade (discard the marinade) and let the ribs sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before grilling.

Brush the cooking grates clean and oil them. Place the ribs on the grill over indirect medium heat with the lid closed for 20 minutes. Turn the ribs over, brush with some of the reserved marinade and continue to cook for another 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the ribs from the grill, tightly wrap with foil and let rest for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Adapted from "Weber's Way to Grill: The Step-by-Step Guide to Expert Grilling" by Jamie Purviance (Sunset, $24.95).

Serves 6.