The calendar may say Fall but where I live it is still hot. So ribs are still on the menu.
Easy Ribs
Ingredients
2 small slabs pork baby back ribs, each cut in half
BBQ sauce, optional
Rub
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons table salt
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons celery salt
3 tablespoons garlic powder
Directions
Mix all the rub ingredients together in a medium bowl. Rub each side of the 4 pieces of ribs with 2-3 tablespoons of the rub mix. (Save any remaining rub for another time,) Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Line a baking dish large enough to fit the ribs with foil and place the ribs meaty side up in the dish.
Bake at 250 degrees F for 3 hours. For extra crispiness, place the ribs on a hot grill or under the broiler for 5 minutes on each side. Serve with BBQ sauce if desired.
Simple Potato Salad
Ingredients
2 lbs whole medium red-skinned potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pickle juice
1/4 cup minced bread and butter pickles or pickle relish.
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion or scallions
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish
Directions
Place the potatoes in a large pot with a lid. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook the potatoes with the lid ajar until tender, about 15 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and cool. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes. Slice the potatoes into a storage bowl.
Add the pickle juice and let sit at room temperature for an hour or so.
Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and taste to see if the salad needs salt. Add black pepper to taste. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator until serving time. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Roasted Asparagus Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
2 bunches thin asparagus, washed and ends trimmed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Vinaigrette
1 medium shallot, minced (about 11/2 tablespoons)
2 lemons, juiced
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Option one – Roast asparagus in the air-fryer at 400 degrees F for 7-8 minutes.
Option two- Adjust oven rack to uppermost position and heat broiler.
Toss asparagus with olive oil and salt and pepper, then lay spears in a single layer on a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Broil about 4 inches from heating element, shaking the pan halfway through to turn spears, until asparagus is tender and lightly browned 8 to 10 minutes.
Cool asparagus 5 minutes and arrange on serving dish.
Whisk shallot, lemon juice, honey, mustard, and olive oil in a small bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle over asparagus and serve immediately.
Oven Roasted Baby Back Ribs
Serve with a salad or your favorite green vegetable.
6 servings
Ingredients
1 cup homemade BBQ sauce, recipe below
2 slabs baby back ribs
Rub
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
4 tablespoon brown sugar or brown sugar substitute
Directions
Combine the rub ingredients in a small dish.
Prepare the ribs by removing the silver skin or scoring it between the bones on the underside of the ribs.
Place the ribs in a baking dish and coat the sides of the ribs with the rub.
Allow the ribs to sit for at least 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
Roast the ribs, meat side up, covered, in the oven for 3 hours.
Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Slather the tops of the ribs with the BBQ sauce..
Return the ribs, uncovered, to the oven and roast for an additional 45 minutes.
Barbecue Baked Black Soybeans
Why I like using black soybeans:
Black soybeans are great substitutes for higher-carb beans, such as black, navy, and pinto beans. They don’t taste as soybean-like as the yellow ones do, but rather more like regular black beans. You can substitute them in dishes that call for black beans, such as baked beans, refried beans, bean soup, chili, and 4-Bean Salad.
Nutritionally, black soybeans are free of fat and a good source of protein. They are low in net carbohydrates (the number of carbohydrates per serving minus the grams of fiber) and high in protein, fiber, vitamin K, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and riboflavin. Half a cup of canned black soybeans has 1 gram net carbs plus 7 grams of fiber (8 grams of total carbohydrate), 11 grams of protein, and 120 calories.
The black variety is higher in some phytonutrients, including antioxidants. The only distinction between white and black soybeans is the color of the hull so any nutritional difference will be found in the black outer shell. Similar to blueberries and raspberries, the dark exterior of the black soybean contains antioxidants that inhibit the oxidation of other molecules.
Cooking Black Soybeans
Ingredients
2 cups dried black soybeans
2 teaspoons salt, divided
Water
1 small onion, halved
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Because of their delicate skin and silken texture, black soybeans need to be cooked a bit differently than regular beans. To avoid their getting mushy, it is best to soak overnight and cook the dried beans in salted water. You will use the same water measurements called for in recipes using regular beans, but you will add salt to the soaking and cooking water. For two cups of dry black soybeans, soak overnight in 8 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt.
The next day, drain the beans and place in a large saucepan. Add six cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, the oil, garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan and cook the beans until tender about 2 hours.
For the Baked Beans
Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups homemade BBQ sauce, recipe below
4 cups cooked black soybeans or canned, rinsed and drained
2 slices of cooked bacon
Directions
Sauté the finely chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add beans and 1 cup of the barbecue sauce. Pour into a baking dish. Top with the bacon. Bake the beans in a 300 degree F oven for 2 hours.
Homemade BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
4 cups low sugar ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar or brown sugar substitute
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle adobo sauce
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer, uncovered, for about an hour.
Cooking and Serving Tips
If you’d like your sauce on the spicier side, increase the adobo sauce by 1/2 teaspoon increments.
Make sure to stir frequently, about once every 15 minutes, while the BBQ sauce is cooking. This will help better incorporate the flavors and ensure that the sauce is evenly cooked throughout.
Let the sauce cool before transferring to a storage container. A mason jar is a good option. Whatever you use, make sure it’s airtight. You can store your sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for several months.
