Archive for the ‘Southern Favorites’ Category

These delicious pork ribs are slow cooked in the oven but can easily be put in a smoker instead and then finished on the grill.  Use fresh and organic spices for the best flavor and natural benefits.

Ingredients:

2 racks baby back pork ribs

1 tbsp New Mexico Chili Powder (or other favorite chili powder)

1 tbsp Ancho Chili Powder

1 tsp Rapadura or Maple Sugar (Turbinado also works)

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp garlic granules (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)

1/2 tsp Texas Red Dog Chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp cayenne (optional, for an extra kick)

1/4 tsp celery salt

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp Real Celtic Sea Salt (course)

1 tsp ground black pepper (white or mixed peppercorns also a good option)

Finish with your favorite BBQ sauce.  We used Annie’s Naturals Organic Smokey Maple BBQ Sauce (Gluten Free)

To Prepare:

Prepare ribs if your butcher has not by rinsing and removing the silver skin and if necessary cut the racks into two pieces for ease of handling.   This blog has a video that shows how http://nibblemethis.blogspot.com/2009/04/bbq-pork-loin-back-ribs.html

Dry the meat with a lint free towel.  Place meat side down in a roasting pan and apply rub liberally to both sides of the ribs placing them back in the roasting pan meat side down and cover pan with foil.

Allow to rest for 30 minutes with rub.

Place in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 4 hours.  Ribs are done when the bone is starting to show or you can see if the ribs easily fold with a pair of tongs.

Serve dry or to finish wet:

Take them out and place on the grill meat side up and apply sauce, allow to cook 2 minutes then flip.  Cover bottom with sauce and allow to cook another 2 minutes before flipping once again and putting more sauce on the meat side and cooking another 2 minutes then pull off the grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

To prepare totally on the grill put the grill on a low heat and place the ribs meat side down away from direct heat.  Close the grill and allow to cook for 3 to 4 hours and test as above.  To finish the wet method see above.

If you don’t have a grill and want to finish them wet in the oven that’s easy.  Put sauce on the bottom of the ribs with meat side down and put oven at 350 degrees.  Cook about 5 minutes then flip and cover the top with sauce and cook another 5 minutes.

Always allow the ribs to rest 5 to 10 minutes  before eating so the juices can settle and you don’t burn yourself. =)

Happy BBQing!

A simple to make, nutrient filled potato salad that is similar to other ‘southern’ recipes but with my own unique twists and style and much healthier ingredients. I recommend using Creme Fraiche along with fresh Mayonnaise. This is of course a high carbohydrate dish but adding the good quality saturated fats along with probiotics will ease digestion and make this holiday treat more nutritious.

This is a treat for us not only because of the high carbohydrate content of the potatoes but also because it takes some time and time to prepare. It is totally worth it though and is one of my favorite “comfort foods” reminding me of a childhood long past. My father always made potato salad and he used some unhealthy ingredients including “Miracle Whip”. I remember he’d use half a jar and was always very upset if we didn’t have any. One year he had only regular mayonnaise and I told him to pour some of the corn syrup liquid from the pickles into the potato salad and that did the trick. Miracle Whip is just extra corn syrupy mayonnaise… yuck! =) If you are a previous Miracle Whip fan or are serving those that are try adding a touch of sugar to the lemon juice (1 tsp rapadura or maple sugar should work).

On a hot Texas summer day there is nothing like some BBQ food with cold potato salad and cole slaw on the side. It is also great because we can prepare it ahead of time and it’s ready to serve right out of the fridge.

Serves 8

3 lbs organic russet potatoes (peeled & cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 hard boiled egg diced
1 small red onion diced
3 ribs celery diced
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup Creme Fraiche
1/4 cup chopped herbs (fresh basil & thyme)
1/8 tsp mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped sweet Bubbies pickles (optional)
1 tsp celery salt (optional, in place of one tsp salt)
2 tsp Real Celtic Sea Salt
Pepper to taste

Preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks about 1 inch square but accuracy doesn’t matter just make sure the the size is fairly uniform so the potatoes cook at the same speed. If you have big chunks and small chunks the big ones will still be raw when the small ones are done. If you finish cooking the big ones the small ones will fall apart and taste water logged. Sometimes I use red potatoes for this and I leave some with the skin on.

Place the pieces in a pot of cold/room temperature water until submerged. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to cook for approx 10 minutes and check a larger chunk with a fork. the fork should slide easily but not make it fall apart.

Drain thoroughly into a coriander and then place in a bowl to cool. This recipe works best with cold potatoes so after they reach room temperature I place them in the refrigerator.

All the other ingredients can be prepared while waiting for the potatoes to cool and placed in the refrigerator. Dice or chop the boiled egg, pickles, onion, celery and place in the fridge. Mince up the fresh herbs and mix into the mayonnaise, Crème fraiche, mustard, salt and pepper and lemon juice then cover and put into the fridge to meld the flavors.

When the potatoes are cooled completely mix all the ingredients together but do not over mix. Maintain the chunks for ideal mouth feel and texture. Mayo mashed potatoes aren’t very appealing to most. Place in the fridge again, covered, to meld the flavors and take out right before serving or packing in the picnic cooler.

Garnish with some reserved fresh herbs for delightful color.