Whenever meat, chicken or fish goes on sale at the grocery store, I stock up. I hate to say “for a rainy day” as we’ve had a lot of those in the Pacific Northwest this year. Good thing though, I was stocked up and ready!
One thing I do after purchasing a large quantity of meat, chicken or fish is to plan out what I’m going to do with it ahead of time. Take these pork ribs for example. I knew that we would want to barbecue them at least a couple of times – so saved two to three portions for that. Then, I planned to use some of the ribs to make a ragu pasta sauce – save a portion. And last, I have a great recipe for pork and beans (to feed a crowd) and wanted a portion to use for a potluck.
Before portioning and packaging the ribs, I prepare them by rubbing a blend of homemade spices and herbs into the meat. I think it really helps the flavor of the meat stay intact while frozen. And the seasoning blend I make/use flavors the ribs for any of the future purposes I want to use them for. The grocery stores also have nice selections of spice rubs if you don’t want to make your own.
So, spring has been peeking out of the clouds for a couple of days here and there and that just whets our appetite for barbecuing something. Hubby pulled the cover off our 11-year old BBQ where rust and mold took permanent residence. We had to admit it was time for a new one. Now what do I do with the pork ribs I have ready to cook?
New plan – bake them. Well, this really isn’t a new idea, we’ve baked ribs before. We were just so excited with a nice sunny day, we were disappointed that we couldn’t barbecue them outside.
Ribs defrosted from the freezer, pre-seasoned with spice rub.
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Herbs
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Blend spices and herbs together thoroughly.
- Rub on meat, chicken or pork before cooking or freezing.
- Double or triple recipe and store in airtight jar.
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup paprika
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- Combine ingredients.
- Store in airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Hot out of the oven – these ribs had a nice crust on the outside and tender meat on the inside.
The ribs were tasty right out of the oven, or if you are a bar-b-que fan, a store-bought sauce or homemade sauce simmered over the stove is an excellent addition.
Yields 2
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke seasoning
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and grated
- 1/3 cup of soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chili sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- Dash of olive oil
Instructions
- Sauté garlic and onions in a dash of olive oil.
- Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10-20 minutes or until desired depth of flavor.
Notes
Can be used the day you make it, however, I would suggest making this sauce the day before to meld flavors together.
Nutrition