MeatGuyver

Uh oh ...

I was supposed to cook BBQ spare ribs long and slow, the kids are coming, and  ... my old smoker grill is rusted out.

How did I miss that?

I pondered the issue.

Maybe I could get away with putting all the charcoal in the little attached smoker box. I was going to use indirect heat most of the cooking time anyway.

Well, that ain't happenin'.
The little firebox has a sound bottom, but the sides are shot.

I couldn't BBQ with hot coals falling down around me and the house.

I had hinted about a new smoker grill for Father's Day, but this was Memorial Day and the BBQ meal was only a few hours away ... at least, according to the eatin' plan.

Dilemma time.

And then ... inspiration.

I hopped in the JEEP and headed to town.

In a little while I was back with a piece of 2' by 2' ungalvanized sheet metal.

First, I took the metal to the forge and shaped it.

Then, I installed it like a skin graft over the gaping iron oxide infected areas.

In no time, the coals were tossing greenhouse gases into the air while
orange flames danced in celebration of  another "adapt and overcome" victory.

After the fire died down, the ribs spent a few minutes over the coals for some surface searing.
Then it was off to the side for about 3 hours of slow cooking.

The end product was verification enough that my MeatGuyvering of the grill's wounds had worked.  The ribs were tender, but not mushy, and so moist ... nothing like your chainBBQ place ribs.

I should have photographed my plate, but use your imagination ... green beans, corn on the cob, and all you could eat ribs.

Desert?
Yes, of course, there was desert, but honestly, I could have just had another rib and been happy.

Since you asked, desert was a sheet cake of pineapple, homegrown blueberries, yellow cake, pecans, and walnuts.

It all blended together into this warm, mushy, cobblery thing that was just outstanding.

Somehow, I had room for it ... right between my ribs.