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Baby Back Ribs & Smashed Potato Salad
Chef Rodney Bowers is here to show us the ULTIMATE meat-and-potatoes meal.
Even the potatoes have meat in the them...mmmmm, bacon!
Hot Rod's Ribs
Rod's Braised/BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
Rub
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 racks side ribs, split lengthwise in half (ask your butcher)
2 tbsp grapeseed oil for searing the ribs
Braising Liquid
2 cups veg or chicken stock
1 cup of sweet apple juice
1 large onion (chopped)
5 smashed cloves of garlic
1 small can tomato paste
3 sprigs rosemary
4-5 sprigs of thyme
2-3 bay leaves
Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Rub the spice mixture over both sides of the ribs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Also preheat a cast iron skillet on medium. Unwrap the ribs and place them on a baking sheet to come to room temperature. Add the oil to the skillet and sear the ribs quickly until meat is browned. Remove the ribs and place in a shallow roasting pan. Deglaze with the stock and apple juice, stir in the tomato paste, add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and herbs. Bring to a boil and then pour over the ribs.
3. Cover with parchment or tinfoil and pop into the preheated oven. Braise for about 2 hours or until tender. Let stand covered for at least an hour as to not dry out the meat. Use the Hot Rod's BBQ sauce recipe when you're ready to serve .
4. Preheat the grill for a medium - high heat or preheat the oven with the broiler. Baste the ribs with BBQ sauce and warm through for about 10 minutes, turn and baste two or three times until the sauce has lightly charred and warmed through.
5. Serve the ribs hot, accompanied by more sauce.
Hot Rod's BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili
20 drops tabasco
braising liquid
1. Place everything in a pot on a stove and bring to a boil on med-hi. Reduce to a simmer and cook until it thickens about 20-30 min, set aside to serve.
Rod's Smashed Potato Salad
Ingredients
3 lbs. fingerling potatoes
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp coarse sea salt
1/4 pound smoked bacon cut in to ½ inch strips
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 medium sweet onion (minced)
4 tbsp grain mustard
4 cloves of garlic(smashed)
1 bunch green onions, including the green part (finely sliced)
1/4 cup picked parsley leaves
3 - 5 minute and 10 second eggs (if you cook your eggs for only 5 min and 10 seconds, you will achieve the perfect egg!)
2 tbsp of good olive oil if needed
Season to taste
Method
1. Put the potatoes in a stainless steel pot with the bay leaves, thyme, salt and half the garlic. Cover with water so that the water just barely comes over the spuds. Bring to a boil then turn to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook until just tender.
2. Meanwhile bring a smaller pot of water to a boil and add the eggs (when boiling) for exactly 5 minutes and ten seconds. Strain eggs and run under cold water. Peel and set aside
3. Add the bacon to a skillet and cook out until crisp. Strain the bacon on some paper towel with a slotted spoon. Add the minced onion and remaining garlic to the rendered bacon fat and cook out until translucent. Add the vinegar and whisk together. Add the mustard, stir and set aside. This is the dressing.
4. Strain off the water from the potatoes and discard the herbs. Put the spuds in a large salad bowl, and while they're still warm crush lightly with a fork. Add the dressing, and mix in. Add the eggs and smoosh them into the mixture. Add the parsley, sliced green onions and olive oil if needed. Season to taste and serve.
Even the potatoes have meat in the them...mmmmm, bacon!
Hot Rod's Ribs
Rod's Braised/BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
Rub
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 racks side ribs, split lengthwise in half (ask your butcher)
2 tbsp grapeseed oil for searing the ribs
Braising Liquid
2 cups veg or chicken stock
1 cup of sweet apple juice
1 large onion (chopped)
5 smashed cloves of garlic
1 small can tomato paste
3 sprigs rosemary
4-5 sprigs of thyme
2-3 bay leaves
Method:
1. In a small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Rub the spice mixture over both sides of the ribs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Also preheat a cast iron skillet on medium. Unwrap the ribs and place them on a baking sheet to come to room temperature. Add the oil to the skillet and sear the ribs quickly until meat is browned. Remove the ribs and place in a shallow roasting pan. Deglaze with the stock and apple juice, stir in the tomato paste, add the onion, garlic, bay leaves and herbs. Bring to a boil and then pour over the ribs.
3. Cover with parchment or tinfoil and pop into the preheated oven. Braise for about 2 hours or until tender. Let stand covered for at least an hour as to not dry out the meat. Use the Hot Rod's BBQ sauce recipe when you're ready to serve .
4. Preheat the grill for a medium - high heat or preheat the oven with the broiler. Baste the ribs with BBQ sauce and warm through for about 10 minutes, turn and baste two or three times until the sauce has lightly charred and warmed through.
5. Serve the ribs hot, accompanied by more sauce.
Hot Rod's BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili
20 drops tabasco
braising liquid
1. Place everything in a pot on a stove and bring to a boil on med-hi. Reduce to a simmer and cook until it thickens about 20-30 min, set aside to serve.
Rod's Smashed Potato Salad
Ingredients
3 lbs. fingerling potatoes
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp coarse sea salt
1/4 pound smoked bacon cut in to ½ inch strips
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 medium sweet onion (minced)
4 tbsp grain mustard
4 cloves of garlic(smashed)
1 bunch green onions, including the green part (finely sliced)
1/4 cup picked parsley leaves
3 - 5 minute and 10 second eggs (if you cook your eggs for only 5 min and 10 seconds, you will achieve the perfect egg!)
2 tbsp of good olive oil if needed
Season to taste
Method
1. Put the potatoes in a stainless steel pot with the bay leaves, thyme, salt and half the garlic. Cover with water so that the water just barely comes over the spuds. Bring to a boil then turn to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook until just tender.
2. Meanwhile bring a smaller pot of water to a boil and add the eggs (when boiling) for exactly 5 minutes and ten seconds. Strain eggs and run under cold water. Peel and set aside
3. Add the bacon to a skillet and cook out until crisp. Strain the bacon on some paper towel with a slotted spoon. Add the minced onion and remaining garlic to the rendered bacon fat and cook out until translucent. Add the vinegar and whisk together. Add the mustard, stir and set aside. This is the dressing.
4. Strain off the water from the potatoes and discard the herbs. Put the spuds in a large salad bowl, and while they're still warm crush lightly with a fork. Add the dressing, and mix in. Add the eggs and smoosh them into the mixture. Add the parsley, sliced green onions and olive oil if needed. Season to taste and serve.
