BBQ Country Ribs

BBQ Country Ribs

     4 lbs country style spare ribs
     3/4 c sugar
     3/4 c catsup
     1/2 c shoyu
     1/2 c oyster sauce
     thumb-size ginger, divided
     1/4 tsp 5-spice powder
     1 tbsp orange marmalade
     sesame seeds

Boil ribs for 25 minutes with half of ginger (smashed).  Meanwhile, grate remaining ginger and combine with remaining ingredients.  Drain ribs well and place in shallow baking pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour sauce over ribs and bake for 1 1/2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.  Remove from pan and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Hibachi Food, Potluck Food: Bacon Pickle Hot Dog

It's that time of year. . .hibachi season!  The next few months will be filled with graduation parties, picnics, Fourth of July BBQs, off-to-college parties and, eventually, tailgating.  Uh-oh.  Tailgating reminds me that the next school year is just around the corner (and we haven't officially ended this one yet!).

The Help and I came to the decision that we need to replace our current outdoor grill in order to be in top shape for hibachi season.  After several surgeries, it's time to just start fresh.  Hopefully the Weber grills will be on special!  We are looking at Weber because the replacement parts are easier to find.  Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Target have some off-brands which, while well priced, are difficult to repair.  The Charmglow gas grill on the patio has been looking like Frankenstein's monster for a while.  It is time.

If you are having a barbecue (or invited to one), bacon pickle hot dog is a great contribution.  UJames neighbor, GarretK, made this for one of his parties.  Upon first glance, it didn't seem appetizing at all, but I was amazed at how the tart dill pickle enhances the smokiness of the bacon and hot dog.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Bacon Pickle Hot Dog

hot dogs, preferably red (found in Hawaii)
bacon, 1 slice for each hot dog
pickle spears, sliced thin, 1 slice for each hot dog

Slit hot dogs lengthwise, but don't cut all the way through.  Slice pickle spears lengthwise into quarters, sixths, or eights, depending on girth of pickle.  Shove pickle slice into slit of hot dog.  Wrap hot dog with bacon slice.  Broil or grill until bacon is cooked.  Cut each hot dog wrap in half to serve.

This weekend was a big graduation week.  For the first time in over a decade, I attended commencement and watched with pride when my students received their diplomas.  It was a great feeling to be able to congratulate the seniors as they made their way back to their seats.  Even the distasteful sight of the poorest excuse for an administrator #yofadagotuin did not dampen the moment.  The tassel changing was definitely a chicken skin moment, and it made me realize that my place is with the students.  I haven't felt this excited about my job in years!

The following day, Saturday, graduation excitement touched my own family.  CP, the first-born of the next generation, graduated from high school!  Congratulations, hugs and kisses go out to him!  Although I wasn't able to make it to the commencement exercises, I made him a lei to commemorate his momentous occasion.  If only his grandfather could have been there. . .he would have been so proud. 

This weekend served as a bittersweet reminder that in a year, D1 will be participating in her own commencement exercises.  If I could give her one bit of advice, it would be, "Make the most of your senior year.  Once it is over, there is no turning back."

Remember the Salt Lick: BBQ Brisket

Its been about a year since I went to Texas, but the smoky aroma wafting from the Salt Lick is still clear.  The Salt Lick was truly an experience, but I don't remember the food being fantastic...I was too busy trying to take pics.  I should've been more careful because I brought Salt Lick grease home with me via my lens filter.  That would explain the haze on all of my pictures taken after the first day.

In spite of the food not being to my liking, I would definitely go back, and I would encourage everyone to make the pilgrimage there.  Having dinner at the Salt Lick is not merely a meal...its an experience for the senses.  And liking or not liking 'cue is of no consequence.

I wonder if they will cater in Hilo

the famed BBQ pit at the Salt Lick. . .where magic happens

What bothered me most about the taste of Salt Lick food was that the barbecue sauce looked yellow.  Even under the outdoor lights, I could tell it was yellowish.  And in the land of Q, the yellow color usually means the devil's condiment.  Because I was "in the moment", I just ate the food in front of me, but after reading Steve Raichlen's The Barbecue! Bible 10th Anniversary Edition, I'm certain that the hue was caused by Fucking Gross.  In order to purge that memory, I had to try making my own barbecue brisket and slather it in my own sauce.  With any luck, I could re-imprint my brain.

I didn't want to risk prison and reprint the recipe I used for the brisket rub, and it turns out I'll be okay because Steve Raichlen's recipe for Texas-Style Barbecued Brisket can be found on Epicurious.  I used my kamado to smoke the brisket, and I instructed The Help to keep the temperature at 250 degrees.  It took about 6 hours to smoke a 5-pound brisket.  BTW, do not try to find brisket (other than corned beef) in Hilo.  I had to drive to Kona Costco to get it.  I don't think most people in Hilo know brisket in any way other than stew meat or corned beef, which I completely detest because it's often accompanied by the vile condiment.





I think my brisket endeavor turned out well.  I served it with cole slaw, baked beans, and Ina Garten's  Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes, which is my favorite mashed potato recipe of all time.  Too bad I don't always have sour cream on hand. The Help did a good job slicing the brisket thinly (between 1/8" and 1/4").  I was able to cut bite size pieces with the side of my fork.  In order to complete the memory imprint, I used my own BBQ sauce recipe to serve with the sliced brisket. I think my memory has been successfully excorcised!

The baked beans and cole slaw recipes were featured last week and the week before that. 

Toaster Oven Food: Baked Beans

Last week's post was cole slaw, a wonderful accompaniment to barbecue.  This week's post features another terrific side dish for 'cue:  baked beans.

If you grew up in Hawaii, especially if your family hails from plantation days, I'm almost certain canned Pork & Beans was served at some time in your home.  I often had it with cut-up hot dogs (red, of course).  Sometimes it was served alongside hot dogs (yes, red again) in buns.  When I lived in Honolulu, my roommate used to eat it with mayonnaise.  As she ate the pork & beans, she would mix in small amounts of mayonnaise (Best Foods, of course).  She said she learned to eat it that way from her dad.  She grew up in Kona (Holualoa, specifically), so maybe thats Kona style.

Although I ate pork & beans, I never thought it was anything special.  I didn't learn how to doctor it up until I was an adult.  Once again, playing league tennis in Hilo afforded the opportunity to sample this dish at one of the after-match potlucks.  Since that time, this is the baked beans I've made.  A bowl of this has been taken on fishing trips to the southern part of the Big Island:  Honomalino, Kahuku Ranch, Kapoho.  It was requested by one of Mr. Dependable's friends, a fucking idiot who promised me a mu (bigeye emperor fish) in exchange for this.  I guess I'm the bigger idiot.  I made the beans and never got the mu.

Two weeks ago, I began a new posting category, "Toaster Oven Food".  These are dishes which I can prepare in my toaster oven (Cuisinart).  Of course, all of these dishes can be done in a conventional oven as well. This baked beans recipe will easily fit in a toaster oven.  You may need to play around a bit with the casserole dish/pan you use.  Its just nice to know you can do this without heating up a huge oven and racking up the kilowatts.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Baked Beans

     3 cans (about 15 ounces each) Pork & Beans
     1 small onion, diced
     1 portuguese sausage, diced
     1/2 lb bacon, diced
     1 tbsp instant coffee crystals
     1/2 c ketchup
     2 tbsp shoyu
     1 tsp white vinegar
     3/4 c brown sugar

Fry onion, portuguese sausage, and bacon.  Drain fat.  Place pork & beans in a large bowl.  Add coffee, ketchup, shoyu, vinegar, and brown sugar.  Add bacon mixture.  Stir well.  Place in a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.  At this point, beans can be refrigerated overnight.  Bake at 300 degrees for 30-45 minutes (45-60 minutes if refrigerated overnight).

Shaka continues to charm us with his antics.  The Help swears Shaka has been saying "hello" and making obnoxious burping sounds.  Most of his talking seems to happen in the morning, when I'm not home.  Aki is growing into his role as older brother.  He loves flying over to Shaka's cage in the morning.

Shaka

Crocodile Dundee stopped by on Wednesday afternoon with a package for me (courtesy of The Help).  It replaces the 2-waffle Krups Belgian waffle maker I've been using.  The Help thought it was taking too long to make waffles with making just 2 at a time.  His reasoning was that he could eat sooner with 4-waffles at a time.  We tested it out this weekend. . .recipes to come later.

top view

open

And for anyone out there keeping track, there are 15 days of school left in the school year...Zone adults have 18 days left.  I have 17 days left since I'm on personal leave today, preparing treats for BOTH Ds to take to a K-Kids potluck. D2 volunteered for cupcakes, and D1 decided to bring rainbow jello.

There will be big changes happening.  Soon it will be time to pack my stuff. . .

Hoisin BBQ Sauce

Tomorrow is the big day!  Tomorrow I go to see Dr. KO to find out how my numbers look.  If my numbers look good, I'll celebrate by having some smoked meat & onions.  If my numbers aren't good, I'll drown my sorrows in a bacon and fried egg sandwich.  Okay. . .now that I've given myself a pep talk, I can head to her office and face my maker doctor. . .but first I need to survive a meeting that will likely take all day today.

For the past 2 weeks, I've posted pictures of food brimming with cholesterol.  Aaaaahh. . .fat, you never looked so good.  Anyway, both the kalua pig  and rib posts featured a barbecue sauce.  This barbecue sauce has never failed to impress.  Everytime (except 1 time) I made food with this sauce, someone has always asked me for the recipe:  Mr. Dependable's mom, Ray Liotta (his Asian twin), Mama Help, to name a few.  Mama Help shared the recipe with Sister Help.  Ray Liotta made ribs for some guests from Japan (and they all asked for the recipe).  Mr. Dependable's mom, quite possibly assisted by arrogance-induced dementia, now passes this sauce off as HER recipe!  

This sauce was originally used as a rib sauce, but over the years, we have found other uses for it.  We have brushed it over hibachi chicken and used the chicken for a shredded chicken salad (like Chinese chicken salad).  Being inspired by "mainland" barbecue, we started smearing it on kalua pig.  When the McD drive-thru people forget to include the little tub of sweet & sour sauce with an order of chicken mcnuggets, the Ds warm a spoonful of this sauce for dipping.  Perhaps the last statement should have been left off, as it may fail to inspire confidence in this sauce.  But keep in mind the Ds and their palates...one of them would choose chicken mcnuggets over prime rib!

click on recipe title for link to printable recipe

Hoisin BBQ Sauce

     14 oz ketchup
     4 tbsp hoisin sauce
     2 tbsp rock salt
     1 tbsp ginger, grated
     1 c sugar
     2 tbsp sesame oil
     2 tbsp liquid smoke

Mix all ingredients together.  Use as needed.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Makes about 4 cups.

BTW, the one time I can recall someone NOT asking me for the recipe to this sauce was at a family New Years Day party at Aunty's house.  I'm guessing its because everyone thought Mom made it. . .and they asked her for the recipe, which they never got.

Ribbies are not for Rottweilers: Baby Back Ribs or Spareribs

Last week was supposed to be a short work week, but it felt like forever. It felt like an endless sea of meetings.  AND, I even went to work on Friday evening and Saturday! 

I'm still trying to recover from my cold, and I'm using that as an excuse for why I haven't made gao yet.  D1 tells me that some people at her school are eagerly awaiting their share. . .3 adults and a student.  I know, I know.  I need to get off my lazy ass and make some gao.  I already got the wong tong!

Actually, I did have a pretty good reason for postponing the gao making.  I was diagnosed with pink eye on Wednesday.  I've been on the drops a few days, so I'm no longer contagious.  Maybe next weekend.  Oops, no, not next weekend.  I need to work again.  Hopefully I will make gao before the year of the horse begins!

I was supposed to go to see Dr. KO this month, but because of my schedule, I postponed the visit to the beginning of march.  Off-hand, I know I've been pretty good this time.  Prior to getting sick, I was doing a fair amount of walking daily, and I was back to the oatmeal-for-breakfast gig.  I even stayed away from the Foodland deli fried chicken.  I think its the impending medical appointment that has me on this cholesterol kick (which began last week Thursday, at 5:40 am, after my fasting blood test).  I placed an order for a bag of smoked meat, ordered a smoked meat & onions plate lunch (with potato macaroni salad) and I even managed to make a huge pot of ashitibichi (Okinawan pig trotters soup).  Brucie, you there?  Have I lost you?

Anyway, since I'm on a cholesterol kick, why quit now?  Actually, this week's post is not so much about a recipe or ingredients as it is about a technique. . .a technique which has never failed me in two decades.  My family loves ribs, especially baby backs.  We've ordered it in restaurants and have been disappointed when the ribs were not cooked properly.  It just bugs the shit outta me when the meat is stuck fast to the bone and only a rottweiler could gnaw it off.  Ugh!  Ribs which are cooked right have meat which falls off the bone with the slightest tug.  "Rawhide" and "leather" should not be words which com to mind when eating ribs!

click on recipe title for link to printable recipe

Ribs

     1 rack of ribs
     2" piece of ginger, smashed
     1 c barbecue sauce

Place ribs in a stock pot with enough water to cover ribs.  Add ginger.  Poach ribs in water for 1 hour (not necessary for water to be boiling the entire time).  Discard water and ginger.  Place ribs in a flat pan.  Brush ribs all over with barbecue sauce.  Reserve leftover sauce.  Cover pan with foil.  Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour.  Cut ribs into 2-3 rib segments.  Grill rib segments, basting generously with remaining barbecue sauce.

My cholesterol kick extended way beyond just my eating habits. Finding out a while after it happened, one of my email accounts spent two days sending out spam to my contacts.  Unfortunately, no rice went out, so there was no Spammabi opportunity.  I re-did my account, so I'm hoping this embarrassing episode is behind me.  Most of the spam (that I'm aware of) was an advertisement for raspberry weight loss pills.  Interestingly, one of the recipients thanked me for the suggestion and said she was going to order some because her clothes are tight.