Rib-O-Rama
Reposted without permission from the Wednesday, September 1, 1999
Robin Davis, Chronicle Staff Writer
Ribs are a passion. Everyone has a favorite marinade or barbecue sauce recipe for making them, and many argue about where to buy the best take-out. But sloppy and succulent as they are, ribs aren't exactly what one might expect to find on sit-down restaurant menus. Or are they?
Ribs have been showing up in many Bay Area restaurants in several forms -- and they're being served way beyond the usual American red sauce barbecue variety.
Some have Asian influences; others take on Caribbean notes. And some have a fusion of ingredients from a variety of cuisines to create spicy, sweet, bone-gnawing satisfaction.
Many restaurants cook their ribs using a combination of techniques and cooking methods. At Ginger Island in Berkeley's ever-expanding Fourth Street shopping area, the ribs are cooked three times. First, they're rubbed with a spice mixture and steamed. Next, they're covered with orange juice and baked. Finally, they're put on the grill to caramelize and take on a haunting smokiness.
At Montage, the stylish restaurant that opened in San Francisco's Sony Metreon this summer, the ribs are first brined in a combination of beer, orange juice and spices. Then they're smoked for flavor and tenderness and slathered in a complex hoisin-spiked barbecue sauce.
And at The Rooster in San Francisco, which serves an eclectic mix of food, the ribs are marinated, baked and then grilled.
These different cooking techniques -- rubs, brines, marinades and numerous cooking methods -- are indeed more work than simply grilling a slab on the backyard barbecue but you still can use your grill to make restaurant-style ribs at home.
We gathered four terrific rib recipes from Bay Area restaurants that are perfect for the home cook. The recipes are long but can be done in stages. Brines and marinades can be started a couple of days in advance, as can many of the sauces. In fact, this gives them time for the flavors to marry. Some of the ribs can be completed a day ahead and then rewarmed or finished on the grill.
For those who want something simpler, we've included a primer on the different types of ribs available and cooking techniques, and three versatile barbecue sauces that can be used to baste ribs while they cook.
With all this, you're set to create spectacular racks of ribs for a Labor Day gathering, or for any time you're craving the zesty all-American favorite.
Ribs can't live by sauce alone. The kind of ribs and how they're cooked make a difference.
It's all a matter of personal preference, of course. Many swear by baby back ribs, but others love big beef ribs. Some insist that ``real'' barbecue must be smoked; still others believe in grilling or oven-roasting.
There are three types of pork ribs suitable for barbecue: spareribs, country-style pork ribs and baby back ribs. Beef ribs are a non-pork option.
--Spareribs. These traditional ribs are cut from the underbelly of the pig. Many markets sell them with a fatty brisket running across the top quarter of the ribs. Remove it or have the butcher do it for you.
If the spareribs come with a flap of meat partway across the side, they're called Kansas City-style ribs. If the flap of meat -- called the brisket -- is removed, the ribs are referred to as St. Louis-style.
--Country-style spareribs. These are meaty pieces from the rib end of the pork loin. They are sold in individual pieces and each piece has a small bone. Boneless country-style spareribs are cut from the pork butt.
--Baby back ribs. These are cut from the loin and have more meat and less fat than other pork ribs, and are quite popular.
--Beef ribs. Even though they're larger than pork ribs, these usually have less meat. The slabs are cut from the loin and have five or six bones per slab.
However you cook ribs, marinating or brining adds flavor. Because the meat is chewy, they can be marinated for a long time without the meat getting mushy. Dry rubs also impart delicious flavors to ribs.
If you've prepared a marinade, baste the ribs frequently with it or with a barbecue sauce during cooking. However, if your marinade or sauce is high in sugar, use it sparingly during the early cooking or the sugar will burn.
Also, be sure to stop basting during the last 15 minutes so any bacteria from the raw meat that's made its way into the marinade on the ribs can burn off.
If you plan to serve the sauce on the side at the table, separate a portion of it so it never comes in contact with the raw meat. If you forget, boil the sauce or marinade for two minutes to kill any bacteria.
--Grilling. It's the summertime favorite way of cooking ribs. Keep the heat at medium because ribs take a long time to cook (75 to 90 minutes depending on the ribs). If the flame is too hot, the outside will burn before the meat is tender.
--Smoking. This takes longer than grilling but imparts a magnificent flavor to meat. Wood chips are what give the meat flavor, so consider using one type of wood like mesquite, maple or oak, or a blend. Chips should be soaked in water for about an hour then scattered over the hot coals.
You can turn a grill into a modified smoker. Build a small charcoal fire. When the briquets are hot and ash-covered, move them to the side and put a pan of water in the bottom of the grill. Place a grate over the charcoal and pan; place the ribs on the grate. Cover the grill and smoke the ribs until the meat begins to pull away from the bones, adding more hot briquets if necessary.
--Baking. In winter or on rainy days, you can resort to oven-roasting. Roast the ribs at 325 to 350 degrees on a rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. Place a pan of water in the oven to keep the ribs moist.
The secret's in the sauce. You can grill, steam, bake or smoke but in the end, it's the sauce people taste.
Barbecue sauce is relatively easy to make. Most sauces don't need to be cooked, and many don't even require a lot of ingredients.
As easy as they are to make, they're just as easy to vary. Sauces can take influences from Asia, the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, or they can be made in the great melting pot style called all- American.
When making barbecue sauce, keep a few things in mind. The balance of sweet, salty, spicy and vinegary components is what makes the sauce great. These elements can come from a variety of ingredients, but they all need to be there to one degree or another.
The sauce's sweetness is particularly important because it also aids in caramelization, which gives the surface of the meat all those good gooey brown touches. But because many sauces are very sweet, they burn rapidly and should be brushed on only in the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking. Tomato-based recipes -- particularly those that have ketchup as a primary ingredient -- usually are high in sugar.
Also, barbecue sauces frequently are strongly flavored to pair up with the big flavors of the meat and the grill. These might seem pungent, but they mellow a bit when cooked.
The secret to this recipe, from Ginger Island in Berkeley, is the three different cooking techniques: steaming, baking and finally grilling.
Ginger-Soy Glaze
-- 1 cup dark corn syrup
-- 1/2 cup honey
-- 1/4 cup sugar
-- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
-- 2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce or dark soy sauce
-- 1 red bell pepper, deribbed and cut into julienne strips
-- 1/4 cup julienned ginger
The Ribs
--2 full racks baby back pork ribs (about 3 1/2 pounds total)
-- 3 tablespoons Five- Spice Mix (recipe follows)
-- Mushroom soy sauce for brushing
-- 1/4 cup orange juice
-- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS: To make the glaze: Combine the corn syrup, honey, sugar, lemon juice and soy sauce in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to a thick glaze, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the bell pepper and ginger.
To cook the ribs: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the ribs with the Five-Spice Mix. Brush with soy sauce. Place the ribs on a rack in a steamer or above boiling water in a large pot. Cover and steam for 40 minutes.
Transfer the ribs to a large baking dish. Pour the orange juice and vinegar over them; cover the dish with foil and bake until the ribs are very tender, about 35 minutes.
Prepare a fire in a barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat the broiler. Grill or broil the ribs until lightly charred.
Cut between the ribs to separate them. Put the ribs in a large bowl, add the glaze and toss to coat.
Serves 4.
PER SERVING: 1,070 calories, 46 g protein, 120 g carbohydrate, 47 g fat (18 g saturated), 187 mg cholesterol, 720 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
--1 tablespoon fennel seeds
-- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
-- 4 pieces of star anise
-- 1 whole cinnamon stick
-- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
INSTRUCTIONS: Place all the spices in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Stir until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer the spices to a spice grinder and grind to a medium-fine consistency. Yields 3 to 4 tablespoons.
This recipe, from The Rooster in San Francisco, is an interesting mix of sweet, smoky and spicy ingredients.
--3 pounds of baby back ribs
-- 1 pint of Guinness Stout
-- Salt and pepper to taste
-- 2 teaspoons olive oil
-- 2 shallots, sliced
-- 1/2 cup dry red wine
-- 2 cups beef or chicken stock
-- 1 cup guava jelly
--6 fresh tamarind pods or 4 ounces tamarind pulp
-- 5 large fresh or canned tomatoes
-- 1 canned or dried chipotle chile
-- 1 whole cinnamon stick
-- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the ribs into 4 equal portions. Place in a container large enough to hold the ribs in a single layer. Pour the Guinness over them and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Remove the ribs from the Guinness (reserve Guinness). Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Place in a large baking dish. Pour the Guinness over the ribs, cover the dish tightly with foil.
Bake until the meat is almost falling off the bones, turning once, about 2 hours.
Transfer the ribs to a platter and let cool.
Prepare a fire in a barbecue (medium-high heat).
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until golden brown. Add the red wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, jelly, tamarind, tomatoes, chile and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, stirring until the jelly melts. Reduce the heat and simmer 1 hour, until the flavors blend and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce through a wire mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to extract all the flavorful liquid.
Cut between the ribs to separate them. Brush liberally with the sauce.
Grill until slightly charred, brushing occasionally with sauce.
Serves 4.
PER SERVING: 835 calories, 43 g protein, 66 g carbohydrate, 43 g fat (16 g saturated), 160 mg cholesterol, 154 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.
These ribs, from Montage in San Francisco, get their sweetness from a hoisin coating and a wonderful depth of flavor from being brined for at least 24 hours, then cooked in a smoker. This recipe makes a lot of sauce -- more than you'll need for the ribs. The extra sauce may be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
The Ribs
--1 quart beer (preferably pale ale)
-- 2 cups orange juice
-- 8 garlic cloves, smashed
-- 1 cup julienned onion
-- 1 tablespoon julienned orange zest
-- 1 tablespoon salt
-- 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
-- 2 racks St. Louis-style pork spareribs, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
-- Hickory chips, soaked and drained
The Sauce
-- 2 tablespoons rice wine
-- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fermented black beans
-- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
-- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
-- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
-- 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallion
-- 2 cups hoisin sauce
-- 1 cup plum sauce
-- 1/2 cup orange juice
-- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS: To make the ribs: Combine the beer, orange juice, garlic, onion, orange zest, salt and pepper in a container large enough to hold the ribs. Add the ribs. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 2 days. Drain, reserving the brine.
Prepare a smoker or use a grill as a smoker by building a small charcoal fire. When the briquets are ash-covered, push them to the side. Place a pan filled with the brine on the bottom of the grill; surround with the coals. Place a handful of soaked chips on top of the briquets. Place an oiled grate over the coals and pan. Place the ribs meaty-side up on the rack. Cover. Keep the heat at medium, adding more briquets if necessary, and additional hickory chips when there's no visible smoke. Smoke until the meat begins to shrink away from the bones, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
To make the sauce: Combine the rice wine and black beans in a small bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion. Stir until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the hoisin sauce, plum sauce, cup orange juice, the black bean-wine mixture and the vinegar. Stir to blend. Pour the sauce over the ribs. Serves 4.
PER SERVING: (The calories and other nutrients absorbed from brines vary and are difficult to estimate. Variables include the type of food, marinating time and amount of surface area. Therefore, this analysis does not include the brine.) 905 calories, 46 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 52 g fat (19 g saturated), 187 mg cholesterol, 2,286 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
Jerry Shafer, from Foothill Cafe in Napa, covers his delicious ribs with a dry rub, grills them then serves them with a zesty Caribbean barbecue sauce. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
The Ribs
-- 4 teaspoons sugar
-- 4 teaspoons paprika
-- 2 teaspoons salt
-- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
-- 2 teaspoons pepper
-- 2 teaspoons chile powder
-- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
-- 1 slab baby back pork ribs (about 1 3/4 pounds)
-- 1/2 cup water
-- Juice of 1 lemon
The Sauce
-- 4 teaspoons pineapple juice
-- 4 teaspoons dark rum
-- 4 teaspoons Caribbean hot sauce
-- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
-- Juice of 1 orange
-- Pinch ground allspice
INSTRUCTIONS: To make the ribs: Combine the sugar, paprika, salt, cumin, black pepper, chile powder and ginger in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over both sides of the ribs. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.
Prepare a fire in a barbecue (medium- low heat).
Place the ribs on the grill, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn the ribs, cover the grill and cook 20 minutes. Turn the ribs again.
Combine the water and lemon juice. Brush over the ribs. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Continue cooking, turning and basting with lemon water until the ribs are tender, about 30 to 60 minutes longer.
To make the sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl; stir to blend.
Serve the ribs with the sauce on the side.
Serves 2.
PER SERVING: 750 calories, 47 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate, 49 g fat (18 g saturated), 187 mg cholesterol, 2,378 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.
This recipe is ideal for ribs because it's hearty and robust with just a hint of sweetness. Marinate the ribs in the sauce for up to 8 hours, or just brush it on while they're cooking.
--1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped peeled tomatoes with juices
-- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
-- 3 tablespoons olive oil
-- 4 garlic cloves, minced
-- 2 tablespoons dark molasses
-- 1 tablespoon canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
-- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
-- 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
-- 1 teaspoon pepper
INSTRUCTIONS: Place the tomatoes and their juices in a blender or a food processor. Add the vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, molasses, chipotle chiles, orange peel, salt and pepper.
Process until the sauce is smooth.
Yields about 2 1/2 cups.
PER TABLESPOON: 14 calories, 0 protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 1 g fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 179 mg sodium, 0 fiber.
--1 cup Dijon mustard
-- 1/2 cup honey
-- 4 garlic cloves, minced
-- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
-- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Yields about 1 3/4 cups.
PER TABLESPOON: 27 calories, 1 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 0 fat, 0 cholesterol, 186 mg sodium, 0 fiber.
-- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
-- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
-- 1/4 cup soy sauce
-- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
-- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
-- 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
-- 1 tablespoon chile paste
-- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
-- 1 serrano chile, minced
-- 1 teaspoon chile oil
INSTRUCTIONS: Spoon the peanut butter into a blender or food processor. Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, the brown sugar, sesame oil, chile paste, ginger, minced chile and the chile oil.
Process the sauce until smooth.
Yields about 1 1/2 cups.
PER TABLESPOON: 33 calories, 1 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 226 mg sodium, 0 fiber.