Champion Quality Smoked Ribs

I may be bragging, maybe not.   I just know that after smoking ribs for years, Tim and I have perfected smoked ribs so that I haven't found anything better in the Mpls rib venue.   Our tried and true process however is non-traditional and would not qualify in a contest since we pre-bake them somewhat and use an electric smoker versus charcoal.


To start, purchase quality ribs.   Pork loin back ribs, not the $1.89 spare rib specials you get on sale at big box grocery stores.   These are meaty with less fat than the spare rib cut.    Sams Club (and I suspect Costco) has them offered regularly.   Shop around, but you may need to go to a better butcher then messing around with the spare ribs.

1.  Peel off the membrane on the back side, generously rub top and bottom with the rub recipe at the beginning of this blog.  Cover and refridgerate overnight.

Why peel the membrane?  The membrane acts as a barrier to the rub and smoke penetrating the meat.

2.  Place in a jelly roll pan and bake at 320 degrees for 1.5 hours

3. Place in 180-200 degree smoker and smoke for 2-3 hours

4.   When done, place on heated grill for the final touch.    At this point, the ribs do not need any sauce, but is also the place to start brushing with your favorite BBQ sauce if that is what you prefer.   For me, that includes purchased Sweet Baby Rays Sweet and Spicy barbeque sauce, Wild Wings AsianZing sauce, or homemade pepper jam. 

Enjoy!,  These beauties will fall off the bone, melt in your mouth, and create a taste sensation.   Serve with oven fried potatoes (earlier post) and cole slaw.

One rack (shown above) should feed 3-4 people.

Enjoy, you won't be going to a specialty restaurant anytime soon!

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Moussaka

A Greek classic

This layered Greek classic is complex only in the fact that there are a multitude of steps needed to put it together and requires that you use every pan and appliance you own. 

The layers consist of eggplant slices, a ground beef or lamb mixture, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and finally topped off with a Bechamel (classic white sauce).

Requirements include:

• Peeling, slicing and sauteing eggplant in butter until browned and then setting aside.
• Dicing onions and browning them with ground meat, wine and tomato paste, then setting aside.
• Using your foodprocessr to make the bread crumbs and grate the Parmesan
• Heating milk in a sauce pan
• Heating and whisking butter and flour in another pan
• Blending the hot milk and flour mixture together and cooking until thickened.
• Cooling the milk mixture slightly and then adding eggs and nutmeg.
• Finally layer eggplant, meat, parmesan/crumbs twice, cover with bechamel and bake for an hour. 

 I have absolutely no problem spending this much time and dirtying this many dishes as long as the final result is stupendous!  However, the end result was merely good, not great and according to Tim, I never need to make it for him again.

Oh well, on to washing a sink piled high with dirty pots and pans.   Heavy sigh!

Smoker

Charcoal?  Electric?

Over the years, Tim and I have both started with a charcoal smoker, modified it with an electric attachment, purchased an electric version and most recently we bought a Bradley electric smoker. www.bradleysmoker.com

We've had this smoker for 4-5 years now and it is by far the best, most efficient,  easy to use, easy to regulate smoker we have ever had.  This smoker requires specific wood briquettes made by Bradley to use which come in Apple, Hickory, Mesquite, Cherry and I believe Pecan briquettes.  The smoker itself is about the size of a small refridgerator.

Simply load the briquettes, fill a stainless steel bowl with water, cider, beer or other liquid, plug it in and there you go.   The briquettes feed themselves as needed. Even I can do it!  However, smoking items is a 'man thing' in our house so Tim is the Smoke Master.  I handle the brining, rubbing, preparation as my part of the tag team.

Of course, this is not the smoker for professional contests because they require charcoal and often are so large they take up an entire driveway.  But, this is perfect for the home smoking artist. 

We have smoked turkey, cheese, salmon, tulibee, salt (yes, salt) and the to die for pork ribs. 
I make a pretty delicious pulled pork and my next experiment is to smoke it for a few hours before finishing up baking in a slow oven.  I suspect it will reach a new high. 

Happy smoking everyone!

Oven Fried Potatoes

These are very similar to 'JoJo' potatoes which are usually cooked in a pressure cooker.   This recipe is easier, very tasty and goes great with smoked ribs.

4 large, unpeeled potatoes, each cut in 8-10 wedges

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt and freshly cracked pepper

Place potato wedges, peel side down in a shallow baking pan.   Mix remaining ingredients: brush over potatoes and bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.

Smoked ribs will come shortly.

Gyros/HolyLand Deli Part 2

So, you paid attention and took a trip to Holyland Deli.  Or for that matter, you made your own shawarma and cucumber sauce for gyros at home.   The rest is as simple as assembling a taco.

 Shawarma, pita bread, sliced oions, tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber sauce (using the greek yogurt pictured up top).

Simply heat the shawarma in a frying pan,  warm the pitas in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds and start building.   
Cut pita in half, open up and load with with the fixings above.   Since the cucumber sauce is so good, I usually add some half way through and then again on top.   Time to eat!

Pick up like a taco, take a bite, wipe face with napkin, repeat.

While the cucumber sauce can be purchased, it is also incredibly simple to make and tastes better than store bought. 

Cucumber sauce

Ingredients
1 cucumber peeled, seeds removed and cut into chunks
1 cup greek yogurt  (sour cream can be substituted
1 tsp dill
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tsp olive oil
Pepper to taste
Sprinkle cucumber pieces with salt and let sit for approximately  1 hour to draw out some of the water.  Drain, pulse in food processor or blender, place in strainer and squeeze out the remaining water.  Mix with the remaining ingredients and refridgerate for at least 2 hours, overnght is best.

This sauce can also be used on sandwiches in place of mayo.