Makin' Twysted Ribs

  Nephews Ryan, Austin and Evan on the Queen Mary in Long Beach

Eating of course!

My Nephews just love Wycked Twysted Ribs! Ryan even suggested that I write here about them. So boys, here ya go!

Before I start making ribs, the very first thing to happen is "Out comes the Pig"! This is a wooden cutout that I found in the parking structure in downtown Huntington Beach . I suspect it came from a local eatery there because it has a number written on it in Magic Marker.  

Now serving # 13 !  

I've seen those boys mouths start to water at just the mention of ribs, and 'The Pig' helps reinforce the concept. When they see him they know what's coming next!  Not like you have to Twyst their arms to get food in them. These guys are eating machines! And they burn up in a hurry all that energy too. Not an ounce of fat on them! Ah, to be young.

 I usually go to Smart and Final to get the ribs when I'm in a hurry because they have  a good selection, the price per package is comparable to Costco, and at Smart & Final you don't have the long lines and overcrowding. I have seen similar packages in the local supermarkets for just a bit more money, but they don't have the selection I'm looking for. Plus S & F has tin foil pans for the marinade phase at a price that is easier on the wallet than the markets. 
Seasoned, dry rubbed ribs are very popular and have a huge following. I must admit, they do have a good flavor, but they sometimes turn out a bit too salty for my tastes. I prefer to make  ' wet ' ribs. I think they turn out a bit more tender and to face facts, I just love Bar-B-Que Sauce! 
Last June, on the morning that Rex and the boys got here, I cooked up three packages of ribs, [and there are two racks per package].  The boys and their dad's Jet Blue flight didn't get them to our house till around noon the first day. By that night, there weren't half a dozen ribs left. And you can believe me when I say that they didn't just eat ribs, noooooooooooooo sir-reeee bob !  Katrina and I saw eating machinery in action ! I'd  swear that by the end of the week they each grew 1/2 an inch taller.

What you will need for the fixin's.

• Pork Ribs .... Spare Ribs have the most flavor, but Short Ribs have less fat. I prefer Spare Ribs.
• Bar-B-Q sauce  ..... Get the large size of BullsEye Original. You may need two or more, depending on how many ribs you are cooking.
• Paprika  ...  again, depends on how many ribs you cook.
• Large size heavy tin foil pan to put the ribs in for the oven stage.The ones that have fitted covers are best if they stock them.
• 4 cloves of garlic per pan - minced
• Sea Salt
• 1/2 medium sweet onion per pan - chopped 1/4 in cubes
  
• aluminum foil - extra wide roll 
• Olive oil
  

The Process:

Lightly season each rack with Paprika and Sea Salt on both sides, cover, and allow to come to room temperature. About 20 minutes. Cut each rack of ribs into 3 or 4 bone widths. Cut close to the center between the bones.It's good to have a chopping blade for the thick ends because of the way the joints are formed. I just place the blade where I want to cut and smack it with a mallet to cut through the gristle between the bones. Trim any excess fat.

Put the foil pan on top of a cookie sheet to stabilize it. When full these pans do tend to bend in the center and that could end up in a hot lava disaster when taking them from the oven! 
Spread a fine film of Olive oil on the bottom of each pan you will use. Sprinkle the garlic and onions evenly in each pan. Gently spoon in some preheated [microwaved for 30 seconds]  B-B-Q Sauce over the onion and garlic in a thin coating. Don't worry about keeping it perfectly placed, it's going to move around anyway. Place a layer of ribs across the bottom of the pan bone side up.Try to keep the ribs as close to each other as you can. Then spread more sauce over the top of that layer and work in another layer of ribs over that. Continue until the pan is full or you run out of ribs. Cover and place in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Without opening the door, turn the temperature down to 350 degrees and cook for another 60 minutes. 

Prepare the grill !!

I use a gas fired  grill to put the finishing Twyst on the Ribs. This was suggested to me by our friend Andy who was a chef at The Ritz Carlton some years ago. I took his advice and am glad I did!


I also use the grill to cook my ears of corn. I like the yellow whole corn ears over the white corn. It tends to be sweeter and holds up better when cooked in this manner. I soak the corn in water for 20 minutes with the husks still on them. Trim the tassels and any loose husk with a pair of kitchen scissors. Then once the grill is good and hot  - 300 to 400 degrees -  I just slap em on the grill (that was for Rachel) and turn them 1/4 turn every 10 minutes for an hour. The husks will blacken, but the ears stay relatively free of burn. Peel back the husk and it's ready to serve. The flavor imparted by the husks is very unique and sweet without any added sugar.


Before the ribs come out of the oven, and after the corn is done, I prep my grill by setting a layer of foil over the grill bars. About 15 minutes before the ribs come out of the oven I re-heat the grill to 400 degrees. If your using a charcoal grill just be sure to have enough briquettes for the preheat and cook time, but not so many that the ribs are going to burn beyond recognition. The reason I set down the foil is that it aids in crisping the ribs just a bit without burning them.  


When the oven time is up, remove the ribs from the pan and place them on the preheated grill. Don't throw out the leftover sauce. You may want some of it for dipping. I cook them with the grill cover down for 20 to 30 minutes, turning them frequently so that they don't burn. You'll end up with a tender Bar-B-Que that has a nice little crisp finish to the meat.  Yummy!


Now we just Nuke some green beans, slice up some melon and dig in! We hope that Ryan, Austin and Evan are always going to want more of our fantastic Twysted  meals, and Katrina and I will always be willing to make sure they get them.


WP

Suggested drink menu                                          



Crystal Light Lemonade for the Young-un's

Beer or Ale

Wine - Merlot

As for me .................... Tequila!