Better Than Ribfest Ribs

If you want to enjoy some ribs during the summer, there's no reason to wait until the various rib fests start popping up. As it turns out, all those vendors you assumed were coming to town from the U.S. to let you sample their grilled meats are all owned by the same Canadian company.  The only thing that makes any of the food taste different from each other is the sauce they use on the meat and sell to customers. They all use the same cuts of meat and they all cook the meat in the same way - whatever regional style they claim to be using, they're not. None of those trophies displayed mean anything; any first-place awards should be taken with a large serving of salt. Even the southern accents you hear from the people working the grill are fake. If you want to avoid the artificially long lineups (once vendors have people waiting for food, they work slower to build the line to build a buzz) try the recipe below. When it comes to BBQ ribs, slow-and-low beats fast-and-fake every time.

Ingredients

2 racks baby back pork ribs
180 mL apple juice
60 mL apple cider vinegar
30 g light brown sugar
15 g cayenne pepper
10 g smoked paprika (optional)
7.5 g salt
5 g granulated garlic
5 g dried minced onion
5 g ground mustard
2.5 g black pepper
your favorite BBQ sauce

1.  Turn all the burners on your gas grill to low. Leave the grill covered and let the temperature rise to 150°C.
2. Remove the silverskin off the back of the ribs by sliding a table knife under the membrane anywhere along the rack. Lift and loosen it with the knife until you can grab it with a paper towel, then pull it off the ribs. This will allow the seasoning to get to the meat giving it more flavour.
3. Mix all the dry spices together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend over both sides of the ribs.
4. Pour the apple juice and the apple cider vinegar into a large foil pan. Place the ribs in the pan and cover them tightly with aluminum foil. Place the pan on the grill, cover and close the grill, and let the ribs cook for 60-90 minutes.
• This can also be done by placing the foil-wrapped ribs in an oven preheated to 121°C for 2 hours.
5. When the internal temperature of the meat reads between 73-76°C, carefully bring the foil pan inside. Remove the ribs and transfer them to a large baking sheet, then slather each side of the ribs with your favorite sauce.
6. Increase the heat on each burner of your gas grill to medium/high. Grill each rack for about 5-7 minutes per side, adding more sauce as needed. You will know when the ribs are done when the ribs start to slightly char.
7. Let the ribs rest for 5 minutes before slicing and eating.

Everyday Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce only gets its time to shine twice a year. It makes an appearance at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, usually still in the shape of the can it came out of. Fans of this seasonal condiment shouldn't limit themselves to those two days, especially when cranberries are available year-round in either fresh or frozen forms. With the recipe below, it is possible to enjoy its tart sweetness anytime you're in the mood for poultry or ham. 

Ingredients

475 mL reduced-sodium chicken broth
100 g cranberries
115 g onion, finely chopped
60 g sugar
15 g butter
5.5 g cornstarch mixed with 15 mL water
2.5 g dried sage
2.5 g dried thyme

1. In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, and let them cook for about 8 minutes, until they turn golden, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the dried sage and thyme and cook for a minute. Pour in the chicken broth and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes until it has reduced to about 355 mL. Strain the mixture then pour the liquid back into the saucepan.
3. Put the cranberries and the sugar in the liquid, and boil for about 5 to 8 minutes until the berries burst. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture then let it come to a boil again. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce thicken as it stands. Season with salt and pepper and serve on the meat of your choice.

Note: This recipe was taken from "Everyday Food Great Food Fast" by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.

Father's Day Spice Rub

Kid Franklin's Special BBQ rub

A spice or dry rub is a great way to get a lot of flavour onto a piece of meat. They add a nice crust to the food and work well whether the meat is grilled, roasted, broiled, or baked. On this Father's Day, I'm going to share the recipe for the all-purpose rub my son made for me at elementary school.

Ingredients:

45 g sugar
30 g brown sugar
30 g smoky paprika
30 g Kosher salt
15 g cumin
15 g chili powder
15 g black pepper
15 g onion powder
15 g garlic powder
15 g celery salt
5 g oregano

1. Mix all the ingredients well. Rub on all sides of any meat you want to eat before cooking.