| This recipe for sweet and spicy pork ribs is one of my family’s all-time favorites. Seems like every time the warm summer weather rolled around, we could expect my Mom to whip up a batch of these sticky ribs to eat out on the patio on a warm night. Their flavor is so unique and the dish itself so craveable that I was stunned to learn how simple they are to prepare. If you have a can of sliced peaches in heavy syrup, a pinch of crushed red pepper and a bottle of supermarket barbecue sauce in the pantry, then you’re in business. Now, I’m a nut for good, slow-smoked, true barbecue, but if you need to feed a crowd and don’t have the time or equipment needed to produce the genuine article, these will do just fine. Serve with some baked beans and grilled corn and you’ve got a dang good BBQ dinner. |
| Braising these ribs in their aromatic broth until just tender not only infuses them with outstanding flavor of but also allows you to cook enough for a large group without the effort the involved in hours of roasting or smoking the meat. (For those of you with the means and time to do so, you can just as easily smoke these ribs or roast them in a pan, tightly sealed with tin foil, until tender and the meat has pulled back from the ribs about a quarter inch or so.) While the braising liquid adds a ton of flavor, it’s the peach BBQ sauce that really sets these apart from the rest. As much as I love homemade versions or the artisan varieties available on the market, good old Cattleman’s or Bulls-Eye work just fine here. When it comes time to baste the ribs with the sauce, don’t rush the process. Keep in mind that the barbecue sauce is high in sugar and will burn quickly if you’re not careful. Instead, grill the ribs over low heat, basting and turning them often until their richly caramelized and blackened in spots. Allow the first coat to dry/caramelize before applying the subsequent layers. Finally, if pork loin or baby back ribs are more your style, feel free to use them in this recipe and reduce the braising time to about 50 minutes. INGREDIENTS: Braising Liquid 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 tablespoon dried basil 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon crushed dried hot red chilies 3 dried bay leaves Peach Barbecue Sauce: 1 (16 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained1 -2 teaspoons crushed dried hot red chilies1 bottle (18 oz ) prepared barbecue sauceMETHOD: Place ribs in a large stock pot. Add all ingredients for braising liquid, and fill pot with water just to cover. Bring to boil: cover and turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer for 1 hour to an hour and 20 minutes, or until the ribs are tender. Puree peaches in a blender or food processor with prepared barbecue sauce and chili. Drain ribs and lay them flesh-side down on a grill above medium-hot coals (or preheat gas grill to medium-hot). Baste the ribs frequently with the peach/barbecue sauce and turn the ribs to develop a rich brown glaze, about 20 minutes. Warm any remaining peach barbecue sauce and serve in a bowl alongside the glazed ribs. Serves 6- |
