Hazed Ribs

3 racks pork baby back ribs 1/4 cup whole black peppercorns3 ounces dried crab-boil seasoning (1 small box)1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon black pepperBeer to cover ribs, about a six-pack, preferably Abita Purple Haze Beer (see note)Barbecue sauce of choice, if desiredCombine ribs, peppercorns, crab boil, salt and black pepper in a glass baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.Remove ribs from refrigerator. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil and transfer the seasoned ribs and all the seasonings to the foil-lined baking pan.Pour enough beer over ribs to cover. Cover pan with aluminum foil, but it is not necessary that the pan be tightly sealed. Bake ribs at 350 degrees 2 to 3 hours or until fork-tender. (We found the baby back ribs reached fork-tender stage in slightly less than 2 hours cooking time.)When fork-tender, remove ribs pan from oven, take the ribs out of the beer, and transfer to a flat aluminum foil-covered baking pan. Spoon on barbecue sauce, if desired, and return to the oven for about 20-30 minutes to crisp the crust of the ribs.If a smokier flavor is desired, after removing ribs from oven and beer, transfer to a medium-hot grill and cook over a low fire to crisp the crust. Ribs finished on the grill can also be seasoned with barbecue sauce, if desired.Serves six.Cook's note: Abita Purple Haze Beer is a raspberry-flavored beer. If this beer is unavailable, substitute a hearty-flavored beer of your choice.Nutrition values per serving: 788 calories, 61 g fat (23 g saturated), 2 g carbohydrates, 0 fiber, 2 g protein, 245 mg cholesterol, 227 mg sodium.Abita Brew Pub, Abita Springs, La.