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luciaannek Jun 19, 2012 10:19 AM

Country Style Ribs /Baby Back Ribs Inspiration?

Hey CHers!

I'm hanging out at my parents' house this monrth and they are doing a pantry week (where they don't buy any food and attempt to run down the food in our over-crowded freezer and pantry). I've got some great meals planned with the food that we've got (we happen to have everything for tarte tatin), but one this I'm struggling that we have half a meal's worth of country style ribs and half a meal's worth of baby back ribs.

Is there a way that I could cook them both into one meal? I'm hoping to avoid BBQ flavors (we do that a lot). I was thinking of cutting the baby back ribs into 2 or 3 ribs pieces and maybe roasting them with some kind of flavoring (I have a half a jar of thai peanut sauce and some onion marmalade, and plenty of stuff to put together some kind of marinade...)? Would they cook in about the same time? Also, my mom doesn't like fruit and meat together, so no orange or cranberries allowed (darn!).

Let me know if you have any ideas. I realize that it might be impossible.

  1. c
    Cheez62 Jun 20, 2012 10:32 PM

    Jerk!

    Country style ribs are my favorite for jerk pork. I have a favorite dry jerk seasoning that I make up, but when I can I leave out some of the onions and the heat, and then add in some fresh green onion and fresh scoth bonnet/habanero, a little oil, and marinate for a while. Grill indirect, or at least slowly, until tender and delicious! The baby backs will do quite well with the jerk also - different, but tasty!

    1. r
      Rokur Jun 20, 2012 08:03 PM

      Red-Cooked is the first thing I thought of. Not enough Chinese people on these boards, I suppose.

      It's basically like Red-Cooking anything, except we don't sear the meat. Instead it's pre-boiled for 2-5 minutes to get rid of excess gristle/marrow/blood.

      1. Bring pot of water to rolling boil. Add ribs, and let cook for about 5 minutes, until blood stops leaking out of the meat. Drain, rinse, and clean the pot.

      2. Saute some scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant. Add meat, add water until covered by at least half. Add a bay leaf or 2, about 1/4-1/2 cup soy sauce, about 1 TBSP worth of rock sugar, 10 szechuan peppercorns, 1 full 8 seeded star anise, Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.

      3. Let simmer semi-covered (pot lid on the tilt), and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 1-2 hours). About 1/2 way through taste the soup and add things as necessary. (In Chinese, soy sauce is used for color, salt for taste. Because salt is a whole heck of a lot cheaper, so add salt to taste, but soy only for more color)

      Basic idea of how to make red-cooked ribs. If you have these ingredients, try it out!

      1. k
        katecm Jun 20, 2012 09:57 AM

        Similar to the Sunday gravy idea, you could make a great chili. The idea of pulling tender ribs out of a bowl of chili seems really decadent and awesome.

        1. f
          fourunder Jun 19, 2012 10:21 AM

          Sunday Gravy...... or roasted Italian Style with peppers, onions, garlic and vinegar.

          3 Replies
          1. re: fourunder
            mcf Jun 19, 2012 10:24 AM

            That was my first thought; brown them well, add them to home made sauce. Otherwise, you can make a braise with them, any flavors you like.

            1. re: fourunder
              w
              wyogal Jun 19, 2012 10:29 AM

              My thought, too. Just had a discussion about Sunday Gravy on Father's Day with a cousin's wife from New Jersey.

              1. re: wyogal
                f
                fourunder Jun 19, 2012 10:46 AM

                Since I'm from Jersey......

                Sunday Sauce Meatballs:

                http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/606333#4536780

                Sunday Sauce Country Ribs/Back Ribs:

                http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6564...

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