6 minute read
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
title Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
BY JO MCCLURE
6 cups rhubarb cut into pieces 1/2 inch long 2 cups sliced strawberries 4 eggs 3 cups sugar 4 Tablespoons flour 1 tsp cinnamon
Place fruit in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Mix eggs, sugar and flour and pour over the fruit mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Crumb Topping: 1 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 cups flour
Mix these ingredients until crumbly and place on top the fruit. Bake at 350˚ for 40- 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with ice cream or whipped topping if desired.
Smoke ‘em if You’ve Got ‘em!
BY JIM MATHIS
For a long stretch of time, I didn’t eat pork ribs. As a kid I used to love the ribs my Grandpa George would cook; smoky and meaty, they were his specialty. But sometime in my early twenties, I had some ribs that just weren’t very good. I don’t recall where it was, probably a restaurant that claimed to make the best anywhere. Wherever it was, it set my mind to the idea that ribs were tough, gristly and hard to eat. What little meat that could be extracted was over-cooked and slathered in a sticky sauce that was not at all appealing. The idea of gnawing away at bones with little reward had no appeal to me, so I just didn’t eat ribs for a long time. Then a business trip took me to Memphis to record a bunch of jingles for a bread company. The trip was several days long and I had time to do some touristy things like visiting Graceland. Each night my host took me out to dinner. One evening we went
to the legendary Charlie Vergos Rendezvous, a barbeque joint known around the world for its ribs. They call them “Memphis style” which means they are a dry-rubbed rib that is basted with a vinegar based sauce. This single meal changed my idea of what ribs could be. These were meaty, spicy, salty, tangy and not drenched in sticky sauce.
I started ordering ribs at restaurants but the results were hit and miss. Occasionally, I found something that resembled the Rendezvous or even some slathered in a sauce that was actually good. I also found many that were over-cooked or under-cooked or nearly meatless. That inconsistency made me believe that ribs must be extremely hard to cook otherwise more places would get them right.
Then a few years ago when Look’s Market offered a class on smoking ribs, I signed up. I learned a few tricks and tips and realized that cooking ribs at home is something just about anyone can do and have success. I’ve taken what I learned from Look’s plus a few books and internet tutorials, and now I regularly turn out some respectable barbeque, right in my backyard.
I use a Big Green Egg, but you can use whatever grill or smoker you have. Just do a little research online to find recommendations for your particular device.
The first thing I do (and a trick I learned from Look’s) is coating the ribs in inexpensive yellow mustard. The mustard adds just a little hint of vinegar, but the biggest thing it does is give the rub or seasoning something to stick to.
Next add the rub. You can make your own or buy one of the many pre-packaged flavors available. Some are sweeter, some hotter, some simple, some pretty complex. I use a combination of two. One is traditional Kansas City style – sweet and spicy; the other adds a little smoky kick. The word “rub” can be a little misleading; rub is just the seasoning. While some people actually
THE PATIO IS OPEN!
500 E. 69TH ST. | 605.336.3104 | LOOKSMARKET.COM
This is important: make sure your spouse understands that you need to monitor the situation. You may have time to go inside to refresh your cocktail, to use the facilities or to show off your barbequing prowess to the neighbors, but you cannot be distracted by things like mowing the lawn, trimming the hedge or anything that resembles manual labor.
rub it on, I sprinkle it on liberally and then press it in gently; not a lot of rubbing involved, but how you rub your meat is your business. I like to put the rub on the ribs several hours before I start to cook them. This lets the flavor soak in and the salt in the rub brings some of the moisture out of the meat, so it creates a nice crust known as bark on the outside.
When you fire up the smoker, it’s different from grilling steaks or burgers. You don’t want to cook ribs quickly. This is barbeque; that means low and slow. I shoot for a grill temperature of about 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. The amount and kind of smoke you use is up to you. Texas style ribs usually call for mesquite wood, which I find a little aggressive. I like oak and fruit hardwoods like cherry.
Since I use the same grill for smoking that I use for steaks and pork chops, there is not room for a bunch of ribs laid flat, so I put them in a rack that holds the bones upright. Once the ribs are nestled in for a smoky nap, you can sit back and relax while you keep an eye on the smoker. This is important: make sure your spouse understands that you need to monitor the situation. You may have time to go inside to refresh your cocktail, to use the facilities or to show off your barbequing prowess to the neighbors, but you cannot be distracted by things like mowing the lawn, trimming the hedge or anything that resembles manual labor. No, you really need to sit in a lawn chair in a shady spot not too far from the grill, and make sure you’ve got provisions; you’ll be here for a while.
I’ve found that after about two and a half to three hours, I need to wrap the ribs in foil to keep things from getting too crispy. Then the wrapped racks continue their nap for another hour or so. When the bones have started to loosen, but not fall out of the meat, you’re done. If it’s just my beloved and I, I like to cut the ribs into individual bones so it’s a little easier to eat. If we’re serving a bunch of friends, I will cut each rack into four chunks and let everyone grab what they want.
Now that I’ve gotten past my fear of ribs, I’ll throw anywhere from three to five racks on the Big Green Egg several times a year. Once they’re cooked, I’ll seal leftover racks in Foodsaver bags. They’ll hold up to a week or so in the fridge and longer in the freezer. To reheat, I wrap them in foil and put them in the oven or back on the grill for 20 to 30 minutes, and they are just as good as the first day. It makes a quick weeknight meal that tastes like I’ve been cooking for hours. The memories of Grandpa George’s ribs are just a bonus.
Do yourself a favor, eat something good today.
When he’s not out back working the grill, Jim keeps busy running ADwërks, an advertising and marketing agency in Downtown Sioux Falls.
