Oven Roasted Pork Ribs and Fries

Beside Dim Sum ribs I have never cooked ribs that were separated, I have always cooked whole slab, be it on BBQ or in oven. This time I have decided to separate all ribs, marinade them overnight and then cook them in aluminum foil covered baking pan. Also, since I didn’t want them to stick to the bottom of pan I have placed a sheet of baking parchment paper on bottom and sides creating sort of container that kept all the marinade inside. This way the ribs steamed at 375 °F for first 2 hours, covered, and another 30 minutes uncovered at 400 °F.

Potato chips went into oven 1 hour before ribs were uncovered, on a rack in one layer. Potatoes were cut and then soaked in cold water for 1 hour. Then they were drained, dried and tossed with olive oil and spice mix of 1 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. Hungarian Paprika and 1 tsp. coarse salt.

What a feast! The ribs came clean off the bone and chips had a nice crunch. This will be my favorite way to cook ribs. By the way, that parchment paper worked like a charm. None of the ribs stuck to bottom and the paper came out leaving fairly clean aluminum foil underneath. There was nothing to wash.

Ribs are placed on parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Potatochips are soaked, then dried and tossed with spices and oil.

Ready for plating.

No mess, no pots and pans to wash!

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Penne

In Slow Cooker

Another comfort food that is better next day. This version is no-fuss, slow cooker job. I cooked tomato sauce in slow cooker for 8 hours one day, stored most of the sauce for future use and then cooked the browned ribs in 2 cups of sauce left over and served next day. The flavor was incredible. I can just imagine how this sauce with shredded short ribs meat would shine in a Lasagna. That is exactly what I will do with my leftovers.

This recipe looks more complicated in writing then it is in reality.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 Lb beef short ribs, fat trimmed

1 Tbs. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, shredded

1-1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 Tbs. hot paprika

1/2 dry Marsala wine

3/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 tsp. dry rosemary or 1 tsp. fresh, chopped fine

1 tsp. dry basil

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Turn the heat on a crock pot to Low - 6 hours.

Sprinkle the ribs generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet, add olive oil and when oil starts to smoke drop in ribs and brown on all sides. When all pieces are golden brown move them to preheated crock pot.

Pour off all oil leaving just a thin film. Stir in garlic, onions, carrot and paprika and sauté till soft. Off the heat pour in Marsala and deglaze the skillet. Put back on a heat and reduce till only 1 Tbs. of Marsala remains.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar and rosemary and bring to boil. When boiling, turn off the heat and empty the skillet over the ribs in crock pot. The liquid should almost cover the ribs. Meanwhile cook penne till al dente. Close to end of cooking add balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and taste for seasoning.

For smoother texture and richer sauce remove ribs to serving platter or individual plates and using immersion blender liquefy the sauce.

Serve the ribs on deep platter with sauce and penne and garnish with chopped parsley.

Barbequed Chinese Pork Ribs

Char Siu Ribs

Barbeque pork is used in many Chinese recipes from soups, appetizers, stir fried rice and noodle to on their own with a bowl of rice. I used same marinade for my pork back ribs. After 3 hours of slow roasting in sealed aluminum bag at 290 °F and hit of open broil at 400 °F for 30 minutes they came out nice a sticky, fall-off-the-bone done. What a treat! Maybe I should file it under Dessert, really.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups

The sauce:

Hoisin sauce, 3/4 cup

Soy sauce, 1/2 cup

Rice wine or dry sherry, 1/2 cup

Honey, 1/3 cup

Sugar, 1 tablespoon

1 Tbs. minced garlic

1 Tbs. minced ginger.

2 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder

Put all ingredients in small sauce pan and simmer, covered, for 10 – 15 minutes stirring frequently. Strain through strainer to remove any solids and save in a jar.

Ribs:

Remove membrane covering the rib side of rack.

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Take a piece of heavy aluminum sheet that will generously cover the ribs in a sort of sealed bag.

Place ribs meat side down at one end of foil and brush with Char Siu sauce. Turn over rib side down (be careful not to pierce the foil!!!) and rub meat generously with the sauce. Fold over the foil and seal sides by folding over the foil several times. Through the remaining open side pour in about 1/3 cup rice wine, fold the foil over several times to make airtight bag and place on baking sheet.

Place in middle of preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Lower the temperature to 290 °F without opening oven door and cook for 2 hours.

After 2-1/2 hours in the oven raise the temperature to 375°F and remove the ribs.

Cut “X” in the aluminum bag being careful about steam that will inevitably escape. Roll or bend foil to open the bag, brush with more sauce and return to oven for another 30 minutes or till golden brown.

When golden brown, remove and cut into individual rib sections.

Serve with rice but we always eat ribs with rye bread. Don’t ask, just try it, you will like it. Excellent combo, just like a rye bread, chocolate and beer. Best dessert ever J !

 

Cut the bag open after 2 1/2 hours

Fold over the foil, brush with more sauce and return to 375°F oven for another 30 minutes.

Ready to be cut and plated.

Hunan Braised Pork Ribs

What a pleasure to have a plate full of fall-off-the-bone, sweet and sticky baby back pork ribs in front of you. Quite messy to eat but is it ever good! I tried few recipes and eventually came up with my own version. Of course, you can make them as spicy as you want with addition of Sriracha sauce.

1 rack baby back ribs, cut in half
2 T. Peanut oil

1/4 cup Hoisin sauce

1/4 cup Oyster sauce

1/4 cup Plum sauce
1/2 cup Soy sauce
1 cup Sake

1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh ginger, peeled & minced
2 T. honey

Have butcher to cut the rack in half. Remove the membrane covering ribs.

Cut the rack of ribs into separate ribs.

Put ribs and all ingredients in a prep bowl and rub the marinade in. Marinade for 4 hours.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick frying pan. Add the ribs & brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from frying pan and drain excess oil and put ribs into Chinese sand pot or heavy bottom pot.

Add the sake and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to very slow simmer and simmer for 2 hours, stirring from time to time. Remove lid & let boil gently until the sauce is thickened & coating the ribs, 15 - 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with green onions and serve.