Stovetop Barbecued Chicken "Ribs"

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Rained out? Counting pennies? Both? Have I got a deal for you! Several years ago, I was asked by a local ministry to work with a group of women on menu planning and the cooking of quick and inexpensive meals. I grudging said yes because the request was put to me in such a way I couldn't refuse. I suspect that many of you have found yourselves in a similar position and understand how it happens that smiling lips say yes, yes, while the brain that should be directing the whole show, is screaming no, no. As it turned out, the classes were a really pleasant experience and I learned as much as I taught. The challenge was to prepare a month of meals for a family of four, for about $75 a week. It wasn't easy, but working together we were able to fashion a month of meals that met the challenge. My personal goal was to come up with meals that weren't necessarily associated with cooking on the cheap. I hate to pander to people or rehash lessons that folks have already learned. I used a lot of chicken in my demonstrations, particularly chicken legs, which, then and now, could be had for pennies on the dollar. This is one of the recipes that I used. It makes a really nice meal and I think those of you who try it will enjoy it. At the time, we joked about the barbecued legs and called them poor man's spareribs. I'm also including links to some of the other recipes I used for the chicken demonstrations. In almost all cases, you can upgrade to chicken thighs or breasts if you prefer to use them. The recipes are all solid and I really think you'll like them.

Barbecued Chicken"Ribs"...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Janet Porterfield

Ingredients:
8 bone-in chicken thighs or legs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup water
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:
1) In a Dutch oven, brown chicken over medium heat in oil in batches on both sides; drain. Return all of the chicken to the pan.
2) In a large bowl, combine the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple juice, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, pepper flakes and ginger; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 180°.
3) Remove chicken to a platter and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken. Yield: 4 servings.









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Country Ribs with Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We took a stroll down memory lane this weekend. At Bob's suggestion, I made old-fashioned country ribs for our dinner this evening. These were the spareribs of our childhood. I was raised in an ethnically diverse neighborhood where economic constraints and large families made spareribs an impossibly expensive choice for a family meal. A small rack of ribs might be used to flavor a bubbling meat sauce, but they never appeared on the table as an entree. There was pork aplenty, but the barbecued ribs of our childhood were eaten with a knife and fork and came from the blade end of the pork loin. These so-called country ribs, resembled small pork chops and had lots of meat on them. When they were baked slowly and mopped with a well-flavored barbecue sauce they gained easy access to the realm of things that dreams are made of. Bob, a rib aficionado if ever there was one, came from a home where folks knew their ribs. I didn't want to botch his Father's Day request, so I used his mother's recipe to bake them, but substituted a barbecue sauce that I have come to prefer. The original recipe come from an old and dog-eared copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. Coincidentally, their recipe can easily be adapted for use in a slow cooker. The barbecue sauce is a bit different from most that are used to baste ribs. Its unique flavor comes from the use of rhubarb which adds a tartness to a sauce that would otherwise be too sweet for most tastes. This makes for a great family meal. I know that those of you who try this recipe will enjoy the ribs. Here's how they are made.

Country-Style Ribs with Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:
Ribs
4 pounds country-style ribs, cut into 4 to 6-inch pieces
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Sauce:
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb
2/3 cup water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2) Salt ribs; place in a shallow roasting pan, meaty side up. Roast at 450 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Drain excess fat from pan. Top ribs with lemon and onion slices.
3) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring rhubarb and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Place rhubarb in a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth. Set aside. In same saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer. Add remaining ingredients. Whisk in rhubarb puree until blended. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
4) Pour sauce over ribs. Lower temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake until well done and fork tender, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. I let my ribs cook for almost 2-1/2 hours. Baste ribs with sauce every 15 minutes. If sauce gets too thick, add more water. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.







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You might also enjoy these recipes:
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Buttermilk Buns, Barbecue Sauce and the Remains of the Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Try though I might, I can't ignore the siren's song that screams, "Eat me!", each time the refrigerator door is opened. My leftovers are demanding attention. Given the number of meals that have been made lately, the status of the remains is really not too bad. The problem is that I'm not fond of leftovers and dislike repetition in my meals. Like it or not, those remains must be dealt with or tossed and I don't toss food. I had a goodly sized piece of roast pork that was sliced and warmed in a thick, but quick barbecue sauce. I made this everyday sauce from a few simple ingredients and served some of the warmed pork on homemade sandwich buns. The unused portion of the sauced pork and sandwich buns have been frozen to use for lunch on other days. Neither the sauce nor the buns are fancy and aren't meant for those seeking designer fare, but if you're looking for a fast and easy way to deal with leftover pork or beef, stay right where you are. This quick homemade barbecue sauce is my way of waging war on the condiments that clutter my refrigerator shelves. Bottles of sauce and salad dressings tend to gang up on me - much as cereal boxes do in the pantry - and to prevent that from happening I prefer to make as many of my own condiments and dressings as I can. While it sounds very dramatic, I also make my own sandwich buns. This is not a big deal. I can't find decent ones, so I prefer to make and freeze my own. I usually make three dozen at a time and that one-time effort holds us for several months. The recipe is super-simple but produces delicious rolls that you can shape as you please. Today's feature is a twofer that I think you'll enjoy. Here are the recipes for buttermilk buns and barbecue sauce.

Buttermilk Sandwich Buns...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup buttermilk powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Combine water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Whisk in canola oil and egg. Add flour, buttermilk powder and salt. Mix on low-speed until dough forms a ball and pulls away from side of bowl, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1 hour.
2) Grease one or two large baking sheets. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 8 portions. Slap or roll each piece into desired shape and place on prepared pan leaving enough space between them to allow them to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
3) While dough rises preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Yield: 8 sandwich buns.

Everyday Barbecue Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:
1) Combine ketchup, water, vinegar,Worcestershire sauce, sugar, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and minced garlic in a saucepan.
2) Place saucepan over medium heat and bring contents of pan to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens and is reduced by 1/4 in volume, about 5 minutes. Use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate. Yield: 2 cups.

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