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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 5 Issue 73 - October 8, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, Today's installment of "Mike Rodman's Strange Food Adventures (and the Quixotic Cooking They Spawned)" brings us to my current home: Rahway State Prison. Oh no, hold it ... that was something else (and I swear I didn't do it). No, today we look at traveling and living in the south and the backyard ribs that are as much a requirement as Moonpies, RC Cola and spray-painting your initials on your sister's back. And if you can take it, I'll throw-in a Cole slaw recipe as well. I distinctly remember my first dining experience in the south (called the "New South" by progressives and "The Land of a Million Hicks" by New Yorkers). It was 1983 and I had just landed a job as Eastern Regional Sales Manager for a now-defunct electronics company (hopefully, my employment wasn't the reason for their corporate fate, but that's up to interpretation). Anyway, I was in North Carolina with my local rep, Billy Bob Budweiser (well, that wasn't his name, but I don't remember his name and I had to write something). When it came time for discussing lunch plans, Billy Bob said, "Do you like barbecue?" Having never been in the south, I was quite confused by his question. Where I was from (the environs of Newark, NJ, a.k.a. "Outdoorsman's Paradise... If Riots Are Your Idea of a Good Time"), "barbecue" was either an event or an adjective -- as in either "having a barbecue," or as in "barbecue grill." I figured Billy Bob meant to say, "Would you like to have A barbecue?" And although I thought the middle of a work day was a strange time to go to his house and fire-up the grill, I said yes. Well, next thing you know, I'm at a barbecue restaurant (something I didn't know existed), eating food called barbecue (something I didn't want to know existed). Staring at a bun of shredded meat swimming in a dark red sauce indeed gave me pause, but after the first bite, my reservations were vanquished. Eight years and several southern barbecue meals later, I moved to Arkansas (state motto: "Please, please, don't elect another president from our state"). And during the following ten years, I tried everything possible to make the best ribs I could. I tried every cut of ribs, cooked in every imaginable way. I tried country-style ribs, baby-back ribs, regular ribs, beef ribs and everything short of Adam's rib. Then, I cooked them all in different ways, including boiling first, oven-baking first and plain on-the-grill from start-to-finish. Some of them were pretty good, some of them weren't. But about ten years after I started, I stumbled onto the "Perfect Storm of Ribs" (I'm talking to George Clooney's people about playing the lead in this movie, a story about a New Jersey kid who finally makes the perfect southern ribs ... and then drowns in a vat of sauce). This food version of a Perfect Storm came together with three items: great sauce made with seasonings from a Memphis restaurant, a double-burner grill and a standing grill rack. I suppose there are ways to substitute for these things, but I'll have to leave that up to you. -------------------------------------------------- Got a Passion for Cooking or know someone who does? Make it your Career! Shop and compare TOP US Culinary Institutes that offer Financial Aid and Job Placement. Request Information today and get your Career cooking in just 15 months! Chef2Chef.Net/Culinary-Institute -------------------------------------------------- Southern-Style Baby-Back Ribs This meal isn't so much about recipes, as it is about the right tools and steps to follow. That said, I'll supply a recipe anyway, (although the directions are more important): 2 full racks of baby-back ribs (cut into 4 half-racks) rustic rub mesquite chips barbecue sauce (recipe to follow, after directions) Let's start with the rub that doubles as a key sauce ingredient. Nearly every rib joint in the south has its own rustic rub, which are generally paprika-based with any number of ingredients. You are welcome to try every one on the market -- or even, make your own. But I would be highly skeptical you would ever find one as good as what's used and sold by The Rendezvous restaurant in Memphis, Tenn. The Rendezvous is considered by many to be either the best rib joint in the south or a close second to Dreamland in Tuscaloosa, Ala. But in addition to dining, The Rendezvous markets their own seasoning, which can be bought via mail order (or in some regional supermarkets and the Memphis airport). The seasoning, as I use it, serves two purposes: as a pre-cooking rub and as part of a homemade barbecue sauce. The first step is to liberally sprinkle the ribs with seasoning (on both sides). Rub it into the meat and put them in the refrigerator for at least two hours and as much as eight hours. While the ribs are marinating, soak some mesquite chips in water. When you're ready to cook, here's what needs to be done: 1)Put mesquite chips and water into either a box custom made for your grill or a homemade container of aluminum tins covered with heavy-duty foil pricked with holes large enough for smoke to escape. Put box directly over one burner of a double-burner grill (or triple burner, for that matter). 2)Turn all burners to HIGH, close lid and allow grill to heat like an oven and get the mesquite smoking, about 10 minutes. 3)Put ribs into a standing rib rack. I can't emphasize enough how important this tool is. A standing rib rack will allow heat to flow on all sides of the ribs, for perfectly balanced heating. 4)Turn off one burner on the grill and turn the other burner(s) to medium. Place rib rack, with ribs, over the unlit burner and cook for 45 minutes. Spin rack around (to allow each end of the rib rack its time next to the hot burner) and cook for another 45 minutes, or until done. (This step is not necessary on a triple burner grill because such lucky people can just use the middle burner as the unlit one.) NOTE: What constitutes "done" is a matter of preference. I like a little bit of chew to my ribs, as opposed to them just falling off the bones. As a result, I like to stop when 1/4-inch of bone is exposed. If you prefer otherwise, compensate as necessary. 5) Remove ribs from rack and place on a large baking sheet. Turn both burners to HIGH and slather sauce onto one side of the ribs. 6) "Glaze" the ribs with sauce, by alternatively slathering with sauce and cooking them on the grill, with lid raised. I have found that about 5-7 minutes on each side (or until the sauce starts to burn), repeated once more, usually does the job (about 20-30 minutes total). 7) Before serving, lightly sprinkle the meaty sides of the ribs with a little more of the Rendezvous Seasoning. -------------------------------------------------- Smart Chicken.com We would like to introduce you to Smart Chicken, this country's only air-chilled fresh chicken. Smart Chicken is truly the most natural chicken in the United States. All birds are raised on a 100% natural diet and processed using purified cold air instead of adding non-potable water - that's the air-chilled difference. Succulent flavor, Twice as tender, Always fresh and never frozen, Cooks 17-20% faster. We invite you to graduate your tastes with Smart Chicken. Visit the Smart Chicken http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=360 -------------------------------------------------- OK, now for the sauce. After going to this much trouble for your ribs, I would think it a shame to use a store-bought sauce, filled with who-knows-what. Further, if you've already got the Rendezvous Seasoning, you might as well make the most of it. Here's my recipe for barbecue sauce, which fills three 32-oz. preserve jars. I have found that about 20 oz. of sauce are necessary for the above rib recipe -- and I also use it for barbecue chicken. Barbecue Sauce 1 64-oz. bottle of ketchup 2 cups onions, finely minced 2 cups water 1-1/2 cups margarine (3 sticks ... and don't use butter) 6 Tbsp. Rendezvous Seasoning (or other Rustic Rub) 6 tsp. packed brown sugar 1-1/2 tsp. black pepper 3/4 cup lemon juice 6 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce Heat all ingredients except lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce to boiling over medium heat. Stir in lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Heat until hot. Allow to cool before using. Refrigerate unused portion in sealable containers. Of course, for a side dish, it's almost a law in the south to serve Cole slaw. I could also see potato or pasta salad, but I'm a traditionalist. This recipe is quick, easy and far better than any pre-packaged type. -------------------------------------------------- Cole Slaw 16-oz. package of pre-cut Cole slaw greens (found in the produce section) 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped 3/4 cup sour cream 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1-1/2 tsp. sugar 3/4 tsp. dry mustard (like Coleman's) 3/4 tsp. seasoned salt 1/8 tsp. black pepper paprika, celery seed and dill weed (optional and used to taste) Mix Cole slaw greens with onion in a large mixing bowl. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, dry mustard, seasoned salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl until smooth. Add the sauce to the Cole slaw greens and toss thoroughly. Add paprika (for a nice color) celery seed (for texture) and dill weed, as you see fit. Mix again and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Mike Rodman is a free-lance writer who lives on Beaver Lake in Northwest Arkansas. You can find him on summer weekends by making a left at the service station with a dog named Duke and then a right when you smell barbecue sauce. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |