Oven Back Ribs with Baked Beans

Real ribs are made in a smoker cooking low and slow. It is winter and I don't feel like lighting up the barbecue. These ribs made in the oven are pretty darned good, too.

Baked beans are an excellent side dish. I made them in a slow cooker.  Rather than soaking the beans overnight and slow cooking them all day I did the opposite. It was mid-day before I thought to make them. I put them to soak and before I went to bed I assembled all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let them cook all night. The only drawback is that around 2am I was awakened by the wonderful aroma. If they had been ready I would have eaten a meal then and there. Glad they weren't done!

Oven Pork Baby Back Ribs

Rub

1/2 tbsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tbsp. ground coriander

1/2 tbsp. ground cumin

1/2 tbsp. kosher salt

1/2 tbsp. black pepper

1/2 tbsp. ground ancho chiles

1/2 tbsp. dry mustard

1/2 tbsp. dried oregano

1/4 c. canola oil

Mix all spices together in a small bowl. This makes enough for 2 racks of ribs.

Prepare the ribs by removing the shiny thin skin on the back called the silver skin. Trim off  2 or 3 ribs from the small end and 1 rib from the large end to make a more even rack. It will cook more evenly. The cut pieces can be cooked along with the racks.

Brush ribs with oil and rub with spice mixture. Place in a plastic bag for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 300F. Place ribs on a baking sheet and bake in oven. After the first hour, baste with the 'mop'. Baste again after an hour. After 3 - 4 hours baking they should be ready to serve.

Mop

This is a basting liquid to keep the ribs moist while they slowly cook. It is traditionally applied with a brush called a mop.

1/2 c. barbecue sauce

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp. light brown sugar

2 tbsp. apricot jam

1/4 c. apple or apricot juice or water

Bring to a boil over medium heat to melt all ingredients and cool to room temperature.

Baked Beans

Panela is a Mexican unrefined natural sugar. It has a molasses flavour. Substitute with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses.

3 c. dried navy beans

1/4 c. panela brown sugar

1 c. low sodium tomato juice

1/2 lb. pork belly or thick cut bacon, chopped

2 c. chopped yellow onion

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1 dried chipotle pepper

2 tsp. salt

Pepper, to taste

Water

Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover by 3 inches. Drain.

Add tomato juice, panela, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, dried pepper and dry mustard in slow cooker set on high with the lid on until the sugar is dissolved.

Layer the soaked beans with the bacon and onion. I make about 3 layers. Add enough water to cover the beans. Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours or until tender.

Hearty Winter Black Bean Soup

This is another hearty winter soup.  Black beans are so delicious and work well with pork.  I used my sister's spicy venison sausage for this.  I squeezed the meat out of the casing and browned it before adding to the soup.  Corn adds a little colour.  This freezes well and you can put it away for single servings.  The only addition I might make next time would be some barley or rice or potatoes.

Black Bean Soup

1/2 lb turtle beans
1 meaty ham hock
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage
1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped & sauteed with the garlic
6 cloves garlic, squashed
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 cups frozen corn
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley

Soak the turtle beans overnight.  Drain and rinse.

Fill a stock pot with about 8 cups of cold water.  Add ham hock, soaked black beans, sauteed onion & garlic and all herbs & spices.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 hours or the beans are tender and ham falls off the bone.  Remove the ham hock and shred the meat.  Add the meat back to the soup.  Sautee the sausage and add to the soup.  Add the corn and flat leaf parsley.  Serve.  This would be nice with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.

This freezes well.  Put it away for instant lunches.

Cuban Style Skirt Steak with Moros y Cristianos

While I was in Orlando, I had a most fabulous meal at Padrino's.  It was a simple skirt steak with rice and beans but the Cubans have such a way with seasonings.  And the atmosphere was so much fun, too.  This is my take on a Cuban skirt steak.  Garnish with lime slices, cilantro and deep fried sweet plantain.

Skirt steak is rarely sold in Canada but it is much the same as a flank steak.  This is a less tender cut of beef but very flavourful.  Slow moist heat tenderizes it beautifully.  It is usually marinated, also.

The recipe for Moros & Cristianos is included although I served the rice and beans separately.  I don't like gray looking rice.  Moros & Cristianos is an old reference to the Moors and Spanairds, blacks and whites.  A sofrito is used with the black beans.  This can be made in a larger quantity and stored in the refrigerator to use over a couple of weeks.  Or I have also seen it in a jar in the grocery store here in the south.

Cuban Style Skirt Steak                Serves 4

2 c water

4 peeled garlic cloves

1 cinnamon stick, broken or 1/2 t ground cinnamon

1 t mustard seeds

1 bay leaf

2 pieces of whole cloves or ¼ t ground cloves

¼ t ground ginger

1 t ground cumin

1 t salt

1 t ground black pepper

1 c roughly chopped cilantro

1 T chopped fresh oregano or 1 t dried oregano

2 T red wine vinegar

4 - 6 to 8 oz skirt steaks

1/3 c vegetable oil

mojo sauce 

sliced limes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 13 ingredients in blender. Purée until marinade is almost smooth. Arrange skirt steaks in baking dish. Pour marinade over.  Cover dish tightly with foil.  Roast in oven 1 hour.  Remove dish from oven; uncover and let steaks cool in marinade 2 hours.  Cover and refrigerate in marinade overnight.

Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry with paper towels.  Sprinkle steaks on both sides with salt and pepper.  Pour oil into heavy large skillet; heat over high heat until oil is very hot.  Add steaks to skillet and cook until crisp outside, about 3 minutes per side.  Drain briefly on paper towels.  Arrange steaks on platter; spoon Red Onion Mojo over.  Garnish with lime slices and serve.

Red Onion Mojo

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 very large red onions, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise 
(about 5 cups)

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

2 cups (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves (from 1 large bunch)

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender and translucent but not brown, about 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)

Add lime juice to onions and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove onions from heat. Stir in cilantro leaves.

Moros y Cristianos  (white rice with Cuban black beans) recipe courtesy of Andy Natal from Torrance, California In Cuba, the name of this dish refers to the mix of African and Spanish cultures. Vegetarians can make an entrée of this soul-satisfying side. 1 can of black beans 2-3 cups of already cooked white rice 1/3 cup of sofrito casero (Blend onion, bell pepper, garlic and cilantro til puree) Salt and pepper to taste 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon of oregano and a drizzle of apple cider vinegar 1 garlic clove finely chopped 1 cup of beer or broth 1/2 can tomato sauce In a pot, add olive oil and sautee garlic and sofrito for a minute. Add salt, pepper, cumin and oregano to sofrito and mix. Add beans and mix well. Add tomato sauce and beer or broth and mix. After 5 minutes, add apple cider vinegar and stir.  Add 2-3 cups of already cooked white rice (at room temperature) and mix well.  Cook until all is absorbed (about 10-15 minutes). Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.