'Barbecued' Baby Back Ribs

Submitted by Chuck Hughes

"Recipe courtesy Chuck Hughes"

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 20mins
• Ingredients: 22
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 2 stalks celery
• 2 onions
• 2 large carrots
• 2 heads garlic
• 3 apples
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 racks pork baby back ribs
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• flour, for dredging
• 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup tomato ketchup
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 (7 ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 (750 ml) bottle red table wine
• water
• 2 tablespoons potato starch
• baby greens, for garnish
• use Warm Potato Salad recipe to make side dish for rib

directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Cut the vegetables into nice thick chunks. Halve the garlic and quarter the apples. Don't worry about the skins, seeds, etc. All will be strained later.
3. Take the racks of ribs, and cut them in half, and season with salt, and pepper. In a large bowl, dredge the rib racks in flour on all sides. In a large wide pot, on high heat, add the oil, let it get hot, and sear the ribs, until brown on all sides. Don't tamper with them. Let their surface maintain a nice contact with the hot pan. It will take about 4 to 5 minutes, per side. Remove the meat, and drain the excess oil, leaving behind all of the solid meaty bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add all the vegetables, apples, and a few sprigs each of herbs to the pot. Let them caramelize by leaving them to sit without tossing, for a few minutes, then toss to turn them, and let sit a bit longer. Return the ribs to the pot, and place them over the vegetables.
5. In a large bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, cider vinegar, soy, and maple syrup. Add the chipotle peppers with their adobo sauce, to taste. Stir. Add the liquids to the cooking pot. Add the wine, and add enough water, if needed, to ensure that the ribs are just barely covered. Bring the mixture to a boil.
6. Cover the pan with foil, and place in the oven until the ribs are barely fork tender - but not so tender they are falling off the bone, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the meat from the pot, and cut into rib sections, and set aside.
7. Strain the solids out of the liquid. Return the liquid to the pan, and reduce by half (about 15 minutes), to make the barbecue glaze.
8. When nearly done, remove a 1/2 cup of liquid and place it into a medium bowl, add the potato starch, and whisk until smooth. Whisk the mixture back into the pot. This will help thicken the glaze and give the shiny look and syrupy texture. Toss the ribs back into the glaze to warm and coat them.
9. Mound the ribs up on a platter, and garnish with a handful of baby greens or sprouts, and serve with Warm Potato Salad.