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Break in the grill with some barbecued ribs By Kady Guyton
There are several churches of barbecue in the United States. It breaks down roughly into Southern, Texas, Kansas City and Everywhere Else. There are, of course, regional variations within these denominations, but for the most part the lines are determined by which combination of meat and sauce is used. Barbecue is an interesting cuisine. It's uniquely American, having been created originally in the deep south, then migrated across the country. The variations can be traced by looking at the predominant meat and fuel that were available in each area. For instance, barbecue in west Texas features lots of beef, mesquite flavors and slow cooking. Mesquite trees are plentiful and burn with a lot of smoke, plus that area is filled with cattle ranches. Barbecue has a unique power that other forms of cooking don't posses. Because it's typically cooked outdoors, throwing a slab of ribs onto a hot grill is a great way to meet your neighbors. It does not lend itself well to formal dining. There's a reason that pulled pork sandwiches are not seen on White House menus - but maybe they should be. A friend of mine who was a vegetarian for over a decade fell of the greens wagon after spending a week in Houston during a barbecue competition. He reportedly has no regrets. Having been born into the Church of Kansas City barbecue, to me there is only one true barbecue sauce and it contains tomato, honey and usually bourbon. The rest are simply interesting variations. Everything written from this point on is simply my opinion and not meant as a slight to anyone from North Carolina, Texas or Memphis. Barbecue sauce should be thick, tangy and slightly sweet. You should be afraid to approach it while wearing a white shirt. Ideally, rather than a napkin, a beach towel should be available. Meat choice is entirely up the cook and the diner. Chicken is acceptable, pork is optimal, ribs are ideal. Beef is certainly an option, but to my palate, the flavor of the meat competes with the sauce. When eating beef, I would rather opt for a well-grilled steak, but that's just me. Ribs are perfect, since they are mostly used as sauce delivery system and ribs without sauce are not that great, actually. They beg to be tampered with. Because there is so little meat, I like to start them in the oven on a bed of sliced onions, then swab them with sauce and finish them on the grill. This allows for the best of both worlds: tender roasted meat with the caramelized sauce and grill flavor. Another pre-cooking methods is boiling the ribs in water or beer. I haven't tried either of these myself, but I imagine they would work equally well. Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees and serve with cold drinks and a stack of towels. Bourbon Barbecue Sauce 2 cups ketchup Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until sauce thickens and flavors blend, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; chill.) Slice 3-4 onions and spread into the bottom of a high-sided baking dish. Lay the ribs over the onions and roast at 350 for 45 minutes. Let cool. Spread sauce generously over ribs and cook on a hot grill or under a broiler until sauce caramelizes. Serve with extra sauce on the side. |
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