I was daydreaming about summer the other day.
Just thinking about what kind of day it would be if I could turn that minus 20 into a plus 20. I know exactly what I would be doing, too—hitting the BBQ. We are BBQ lovers at my house. It's not just a manly meat station for the hubby, it's a one-stop shop for finger lickin’ yummy food that yields no dirty dishes. You name it, we BBQ it . . . but more on that when the season starts.
I started to wonder what I could make that would bring back that summer feeling and inject a little BBQ daydreaming into my day. I came up with this, and while it still snowed outside, we had ourselves a little rib fest around the table that helped us put the winter blues away for a while. Pure finger lickin’ good, this is exactly what your family needs to get a little break from this weather. Give it a try!
(makes 2 racks of ribs)
For ribs:
2 meaty racks of ribs
Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dusted rosemary
For glaze:
4 tbsps tart cherry jam
1 tbsp honey
1 small knob grated ginger
2 tbsps apple cider vinegar
½ cup orange juice
2 small red Thai chile peppers
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
To finish:
3 tbsps roasted crushed peanuts
3 green onions
olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season ribs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dusted rosemary.
Dried herbs can be strong and overpowering. A great trick is to take dry herbs and grind them in your mortar and pestle, turning them to "dust." I dust a bunch of herbs, like rosemary, thyme, basil, and sage, to keep handy in my pantry, to add amazing flavour to any dish quickly and subtly. They are one of my secret weapons.
Cook ribs on low for 1 ½ to 2 hrs.
Low heat over a long time will produce ribs that are crispy on the outside, falling off the bone and creamy on the inside. You literally set the temp and walk away. The only things you need to make these ribs perfect is time.
While ribs are cooking, make your glaze. Combine jam, honey, ginger, vinegar, orange juice, chiles, and garlic in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat until mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
I like to use unsweetened, fruit-only jams. They are a little harder to find and can be more expensive, but they are made with 100% fruit, so you can feel guilt-free using them in recipes. My all time favourite is St. Dalfour, which comes in so many amazing flavours. They are a staple in my pantry and work amazingly in place of sweeteners. Re: glaze, once heated through and flavours combine, allow glaze to cool and set. Glaze can be stored in refrigerator for up to 10 days and can be used to liven up chicken, pork, or beef.
Thinly slice green onions. Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Once ribs are ready, break apart and liberally brush with glaze. Place back in oven on broil for 5 minutes until glaze is sticky.
Top with crushed peanuts and green onion mixture.
To prepare your peanuts, spread on baking sheet, roast at 350 degrees for 7 minutes or until they begin to brown. Let cool and crush with a meat tenderizer, back of a pan or in your food processor.
Dig in!
For more easy and delicious dinner ideas, try this Kid-Friendly Baked Ziti, Chili Sloppy Joes, or the Perfect Pad Thai.
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