I'd like to start this blog with an excellent recipe with moderate difficulty. Asian BBQ Ribs over white rice with Cool Asian Coleslaw on the side. BUT DON'T BE DISCOURAGED! It has been one of the most delicious things I have ever made and well worth the time. My cooking buddy Chef Brad and I got the original recipe from Williams-Sonoma's Sous Chef Series and added our own twists.
The Recipe
For the ribs:
8 cups chicken stock
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 6-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 racks baby back pork ribs, about 4 pounds total (racks cut in half if using a Dutch oven)
For the glaze:
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
1⁄4 cup sliced scallions
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
1⁄2 cup hoisin sauce
1 cup dark corn syrup
1⁄4 cup ketchup
11⁄2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
11⁄2 teaspoons chile paste
The Procedure:
For the ribs:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large roasting pan, combine the
chicken stock, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, carrot, onion and celery and bring to a
boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and nestle the ribs in the braising
liquid. Get them nice and cozy!
2. Cover the roasting pan tightly with foil and bake until
the meaty part of the ribs are tender when pierced with a knife, about 90
minutes.
3. While the ribs cook, prepare the glaze: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.
Add the garlic, ginger and scallions and cook over medium heat, stirring
occasionally, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, hoisin, corn
syrup, ketchup, five-spice powder and chile paste. Increase the heat to high and
bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture
has thickened slightly, about 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on the baking sheet. (We put foil over the rack and cut slits in it, but a bare wire rack is perfectly fine.)
5.Remove the ribs from the braising liquid and place them, meaty side up, on the
rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°. Brush a thick coating of glaze on the
top of the ribs. Bake for 45 minutes, brushing the ribs with additional glaze every
15 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes, then cut
into one- or two-rib portions and serve immediately.
For the Coleslaw:
The Recipe:
1 bag Cole Slaw Mix
1 cup Mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Hot Sesame Oil (Or regular if you don't like spicy)
3 Tablespoons Honey
The Procedure: (This is so quick and accompanies the ribs perfectly)
Place the mix in a large bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sesame
oil, and honey in a small bowl. Toss dressing with mix until evenly coated. Chill before serving.
Yes, this recipe takes time, but those Asian flavors are so rich and savory. You also get that finger-licking effect, which everyone loves with BBQ. This would also be great on a grill, but who needs one when you can make this in your own kitchen. You will absolutely love this.
***Here's another secret that they don't mention in the original recipe. The braising liquid from the roasting pan that you baked for 90 minutes actually becomes a stock! It tastes just like a rich chicken soup with a hint of ginger. Absolutely delicious and even better if you add some noodles, some dumplings or even Matzo Balls!***
