A Mixed Bag of Questions from Petals

Good ?'s. I'm interested in those too. T-Y. 

Whoa! Lots of questions here, Petals... I'll do my best. 

Yes, there certainly are such things as "fall-off-the-bone-tender" ribs. But they are not a standard of excellence. (And many have been violated by being boiled first. Never boil ribs.) Ribs should still have a bit of chew when properly cooked. My book Raichlen on Ribs (Workman, 2006) will put you on the path to rib enlightenment.

You don't say if you have a gas or charcoal grill, but keeping the grill grate clean by brushing it while it's hot (both before and after grilling) is a great habit. From time to time, you'll have to pay attention to the rest of the grill. 

Conch, as you know, is notoriously tough. Pound the devil out of it, then marinate before grilling quickly over medium-high heat. Cut into small pieces for serving. (Grilled conch salad would be awesome!)

Flare-ups: My advice is to keep 30 per cent of the grill grate free--a kind of "safety zone"--that you can move food to if a flare-up occurs. Fattier meats and foods coated with butter or oil really incite these unwanted intersections of food and flame. If a flare-up turns into a conflagration, you'll hopefully have a charged fire extinguisher at the ready.

Oysters: We like ours' on the half shell, doused with a little tequila and topped with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce and a little grated asiago cheese. We like shellfish so much that I designed a special rack to hold these tippy little bivalves: Find it (and the barbecue sauce) at www.grilling4all.com.

Most satisfying barbecue? It was my privilege to get a private cooking lesson in Cambodia from a woman who lost her entire family during the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge. It took place in a modest hut on stilts in Siem Reap. Unforgettable.

Thank you so much, "Petals".  It's my privilege to be here on ChefTalk, and I appreciate the intelligence of your questions and the sentiments in your last post.