Tag: pork
Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Grilled Baby Back Ribs
You definitely can say that making ribs is my thing. I’m more of a fan of spare ribs, but when I see a nice rack of baby backs, it’s hard to pass up. These were quite meaty being a 3lbs rack and needed to be mine. I typically do everything but straight up traditional bbq ribs, but I felt now was a good time to demonstrate how to do a simple version of ribs on the grill.There are a few things to know when making grilled bbq ribs. First, there is a membrane on the bottom side of the rack. Some people like it removed; others don’t care. Ask your butcher to remove it for you if you desire it off. Second, it is easier to handle half racks of ribs instead of full racks. So cut the ribs in half unless you’re looking for a full rack presentation. Lastly, use your favorite dry rub and bbq sauce. You know what you like. I used a rib dry rub that my girlfriend Val prefers on pork. She also made the homemade bbq sauce for this recipe. If you don’t have a particular dry rub that you like, I recommend salt, pepper, garlic, smoked paprika, and a little cayenne pepper if you like spice.The type of charcoal you use makes a difference. While I like using hardwood charcoal for flavor, it burns fast and more will need to be added since these ribs take more than an hour to grill. For these ribs, I used charcoal briquettes. They burn hotter and will last the whole rib grilling process. For the majority of the time, the ribs will be cooked indirectly. After they’re seared, it’s a low and slow process. A 3lbs rack will take at least an hour to grill; flipping every 5-10 minutes to ensure even cooking; plus at least 15 more minutes of grilling with the bbq sauce on.
Equipment
- chimney starter
- charcoal
- charcoal grill
- brush
Ingredients
- 1 rack baby back ribs about 3lbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup rib rub
- bbq sauce
Instructions
- Rub your ribs with olive oil. Aggressively season with your favorite rib rub. Let rest for 2 hours.
- Start your charcoal in a chimney starter until they are grey. Pour them on one side of the grill in a single layer. Place the grate on the grill. Brown the ribs on the top side for 8-10 minutes with the cover on the grill.
- Flip them over and brown 8-10 minutes on the other side with the cover on.
- Move the ribs to the outer edge of the charcoal. Grill for 40 minutes, flipping every 5-10 minutes to ensure even cooking. Brush on bbq sauce and grill for 10 minutes with the cover on.
- Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before cutting in between the bones.
Bacon Swiss Grilled Cheese
Bacon Swiss Grilled Cheese
Who doesn’t love a grilled cheese?! But this just isn’t any grilled cheese. Sweet, savory, salty, and spicy; all into one beast. This monster of a sandwich contains black forest bacon, swiss cheese, charred jalapeños, and blueberry preserves, griddled on sourdough bread. The secret to getting the cheese to melt on this size of a sandwich is to cook it on medium low heat with a cover over the pan.
Ingredients
- 4 strips thick cut bacon I like black forest bacon
- 2 slices sourdough
- 3 slices swiss cheese
- 1 jalapeño pepper sliced
- 2 tbsp blueberry preserves
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Cook the bacon until crispy. Reserve 1 tbsp of bacon grease.
- Sauté the jalapeños in the bacon grease until charred; about 3 minutes.
Sandwich Assembly
- Spread the blueberry preserves on each slice of sourdough.
- Lay 1 1/2 slices of swiss on each slice of sourdough. Layer the bacon on one side; the jalapeños on the other. Put the sandwich together.
- Melt 1 tbsp of butter on a skillet or griddle over medium low heat. Place the sandwich on the skillet. Cover. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown.
- Add the other tbsp of butter. Flip the sandwich. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Bangers and Mash
If you can’t find a store bought banger sausage and want to make them from scratch, a recipe I made is: 4lbs ground pork, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp mace, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp …
Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon Steaks
Maple Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon Steaks
These glazed bacon steaks are a real treat. I recently purchased a chunk of applewood smoked slab bacon from work and wanted to glaze it in the oven. I sliced the bacon a 1/2” thick. The glaze is simply brown sugar and maple syrup that caramelizes in the oven. The most important part of making the glazed bacon steak is to use multiple layers of foil on your baking pan. If you don’t, it will be next to impossible to clean it.
Equipment
- baking sheet
- foil
Ingredients
- 1/2” slices slab bacon
- brown sugar
- maple syrup
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with multiple layers of foil. Place the slab bacon slices on the foil. Cover with a thin layer of brown sugar. Drizzle with real maple syrup. Place in a cold oven. Set the temp to 350°.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the bacon and spoon over the glaze.
- Bake for another 10 minutes.
