Ribs, ribs and even more ribs...
Tonight's dish was influenced by Chicago's best, and Top Chef Master's winner Rick Bayless owner of 3 restaurants and many cookbooks, etc, now tonight known as "Rib Bayless". I get inspired by foodie chefs such as Rick, Chef Gordon Ramsay, Giada, etc. So as I was perusing through his recipes, I saw something that struck me, grilled braised short ribs with Arbol chili's, white beans wild mushrooms and beer. With the weather warming up, yeah, it was just a rib kinda' night. Although these are not my usual sloppy lick your fingers and need to wash your face style ribs. =) They are just not traditional ribs, but an amazing alternative way to make ribs.
So my only challenge was, being that we live in Switzerland, would I be able to find beef short ribs?? Well the answer in "short" is no! I was offered a nice steak with rib-eye meat. Pffff.... well, how about baby back pork ribs, ok, those will do, I don't have any other choice. So, being it was not beef, I knew I had to change things up a bit and put my style into it. I have to say these ribs were sooooooooo amazing melt in your mouth give me the whole entire racks and then stash them somewhere so you don't have to share.... yeah, thaaaaaaaat gooooooooooood. Inspired by Rick Bayless, and personalized by Penelope due to it being pork and not beef, ANNNNND because I do that with all dishes that have recipes if they are not my own recipe. =)
*Just as another tip, pork meat has way less calories and fat then beef and surprisingly too because some of the cuts of pork you can get appear more fatty than beef cuts. But gram for gram, beef is much more caloric. And pork you can do soooo many flavors with. I believe back in the 90's it was known as "the other white meat" in commercials.
What you need:
~1-2 Racks of pork Baby back ribs. I say 1-2 because maybe your store carries larger racks. Here in Switzerland they are itty bitty, so I had to get 3! Quarter the racks so there are like 3 or 4 ribs to each piece and the reasoning for this is because the braising process tenderizes the pork so much that it falls off the bone, so if you have them together, that won't happen when you pull them out later for serving. Just a tip...
~2-3 Fresh hot red chili peppers sliced in half and seeded. (Use caution here since the pepper oil can stay on your hands and if you don't wash right away and if you touch your eyes or lips, Buuuuuurn!!!)
~2 Tbsp Grape seed oil (or any high heat oil, I like grape seed oil for it's nutritional benefits.) I would not use olive oil for this.
~Salt and pepper (amounts will vary depending on your taste)
~Large white onion quartered into 1/2" pieces
~16oz wild mushrooms quartered (anything but button mushrooms here)
~2 cups beef broth
~1 cup chicken broth
~8 oz dark beer
~1/2 cup white wine (any white will do here)
~1 Tbsp liquid smoke (hard to find here in Switzerland, but stashed in my pantry from the US. Wright's makes the best brand. If you don't have it, it won't change the flavor too much.
~1 16oz can of diced tomatoes (you need the can here for the liquids. I often only use fresh, but not in this recipe)
~5 sprigs of fresh Thyme (I just love this herb!! Too bad you can't buy "time" like you can buy Thyme)
~1 can drained white beans (not red here)
Let's get to work:
1) Generously salt and pepper the pork racks. On the grill or a hot hot pan, sear the pork until browned, about 3-4 minutes on both sides. More or less time depending on the thickness of your ribs. (even if there isn't meat on the other side, still sear that side as well because the browing totally enhances the flavor of the pork during the braising process. Remove to a pan and set aside.
2)In a large dutch oven or soup pot (is what I used) heat oil until hot add chili pepper halves and stir around constantly until the red skin gets blistered looking about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oil and set aside.
3) Add the quartered onion pieces and stir around until browned. Once onions are browned add the mushrooms and stir around for about 2 minutes, then return the chili peppers to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients and about a tbsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and then place the ribs in making sure they are covered by the braising broth. Cover and simmer (not boil!!!) for about 1 1/2 hours. After that time, taste the broth and add more salt or pepper if needed.
4) To serve, take tongs and pull out the ribs and place on plate. With slotted spoon, scoop out the mushrooms and beans and tomato pieces and place on top of pork. Take a spoon and spoon out some of the broth over the pork and serve and forget the fork and knife here with the ribs! (make sure not to serve the Thyme branches that were simmering, but DO garnish with fresh Thyme.)
*Just as another tip, pork meat has way less calories and fat then beef and surprisingly too because some of the cuts of pork you can get appear more fatty than beef cuts. But gram for gram, beef is much more caloric. And pork you can do soooo many flavors with. I believe back in the 90's it was known as "the other white meat" in commercials.
What you need:
~1-2 Racks of pork Baby back ribs. I say 1-2 because maybe your store carries larger racks. Here in Switzerland they are itty bitty, so I had to get 3! Quarter the racks so there are like 3 or 4 ribs to each piece and the reasoning for this is because the braising process tenderizes the pork so much that it falls off the bone, so if you have them together, that won't happen when you pull them out later for serving. Just a tip...
~2-3 Fresh hot red chili peppers sliced in half and seeded. (Use caution here since the pepper oil can stay on your hands and if you don't wash right away and if you touch your eyes or lips, Buuuuuurn!!!)
~2 Tbsp Grape seed oil (or any high heat oil, I like grape seed oil for it's nutritional benefits.) I would not use olive oil for this.
~Salt and pepper (amounts will vary depending on your taste)
~Large white onion quartered into 1/2" pieces
~16oz wild mushrooms quartered (anything but button mushrooms here)
~2 cups beef broth
~1 cup chicken broth
~8 oz dark beer
~1/2 cup white wine (any white will do here)
~1 Tbsp liquid smoke (hard to find here in Switzerland, but stashed in my pantry from the US. Wright's makes the best brand. If you don't have it, it won't change the flavor too much.
~1 16oz can of diced tomatoes (you need the can here for the liquids. I often only use fresh, but not in this recipe)
~5 sprigs of fresh Thyme (I just love this herb!! Too bad you can't buy "time" like you can buy Thyme)
~1 can drained white beans (not red here)
Let's get to work:
1) Generously salt and pepper the pork racks. On the grill or a hot hot pan, sear the pork until browned, about 3-4 minutes on both sides. More or less time depending on the thickness of your ribs. (even if there isn't meat on the other side, still sear that side as well because the browing totally enhances the flavor of the pork during the braising process. Remove to a pan and set aside.
2)In a large dutch oven or soup pot (is what I used) heat oil until hot add chili pepper halves and stir around constantly until the red skin gets blistered looking about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oil and set aside.
3) Add the quartered onion pieces and stir around until browned. Once onions are browned add the mushrooms and stir around for about 2 minutes, then return the chili peppers to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients and about a tbsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and then place the ribs in making sure they are covered by the braising broth. Cover and simmer (not boil!!!) for about 1 1/2 hours. After that time, taste the broth and add more salt or pepper if needed.
4) To serve, take tongs and pull out the ribs and place on plate. With slotted spoon, scoop out the mushrooms and beans and tomato pieces and place on top of pork. Take a spoon and spoon out some of the broth over the pork and serve and forget the fork and knife here with the ribs! (make sure not to serve the Thyme branches that were simmering, but DO garnish with fresh Thyme.)
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