COOKING WITH MEREDITH — Smoky, juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs are oft-considered an art form in the southern United States. Barbecue grill masters spend a lifetime to perfect their craft and make the rest of us jealous. And why shouldn’t they, because who doesn’t love ribs?
Living in a Bangkok apartment, I make do with what I’ve got. So although these ribs break the rules and are an abomionation to barbecue, I’ve prepared a nice recipe.
The inspiration for this sinful joy came after weeks of eating clean left me craving sticky, sweet barbecued meat. Without wanting to throw down a few bones I turned to the kitchen to create this simple and cheap recipe for succulent baby backs. Barbecued meats are typically basted with an acidic sauce to tenderize the flesh, lock-in moisture and create melt-in-your-mouth flavors. I borrowed a bit of this know-how and used an easy apple juice concoction to tenderize, flavor and braise the meat.
Apple Juice Baby Back Ribs
2 racks of pork ribs
1-liter carton of apple juice
2 cloves of garlic
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar
Classic Potato Salad
2 potatoes
2 eggs
1 small red onion
1 stalk of celery
3-4 pickles
4 slices of bacon (optional)
1 tbsp pickle juice
2 tbsp mustard
¾ c plain yogurt or mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
When I say that this recipe is simple and easy, I mean that a child or inept boyfriend/friend/partner could make this to perfection. It’s a one-pot wonder. When I get my ribs home, the first thing I like to do is rinse them thoroughly with water. My pot is not large, so I slice the slabs into sections of 3-to-4 ribs and then dump all the meat into the pot. Empty the contents of the apple juice carton, add two smashed cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Next, turn the stovetop to medium-high heat. Allow the ribs to reach a steady boil. Cook uncovered for approximately one hour, 15 minutes.
While your meat happily cooks away turn on another pot and boil the potatoes. Important note: chop the raw potatoes into 2-inch sections, as they will cook faster and more evenly. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, remove from the heat and strain. Allow the potatoes to cook. I slip the eggs into the boiling potato water for five minutes and then remove and reserve. In the meantime dice the red onion, celery and pickles. Then place all of the ingredients into a bowl together. Combine the salad when the potatoes have cooled . Adjust seasoning to taste.
After the ribs have cooked for about one hour, 15 minutes, check the meat for tenderness. They should begin to fall off the bone. Remove the ribs from the pot and put in reserve. If the cooking liquid has not reduced then let it continue to boil until it develops a nice caramel color. Next, stir in the ketchup, mustard and vinegar. Continue to cook the sauce until it reaches your desired thickness.
Finally smother the ribs in sauce and get down to eating. Or, if you are part of the lucky few Bangkokians who own an oven or grill then baste the ribs in sauce and add a nice sear and caramelize the sauce. I think you know what to do from here, just try not to get sauce all over your face. Happy eating!
Photos: Meredith Monsantofils
