It seems we've been a little slow on the barbecue front this year, this being the 3rd as far as I can recall. It made me think about barbecues in public places in general. In truth, they are basically a pain, unless you have a trusty gas behemoth or a built in brick charcoal beast in your own back garden. I've seen people effortlessly grilling meats on their cute little mini Hibachis on beaches and large community groups gathered around the fragrant smoke of a large contraption in parks, but as far as I'm concerned, it can be an effort that is best solved by merely having a picnic with disposable everything. I don't think I always felt like this, the man has beaten me down with his usual moans about cooling and disposing of charcoal, taking dirty plates and cutlery home and bags filled with leftover grilled foods, not to mention the odds and ends taken to season, squeeze or drizzle. Barbecues in your own backyard or at friend's places seem to be the answer. Everything at reach, including the dishwasher, no panic that you've forgotten that essential ingredient and no hot coals or gas canisters to carry to large communal bins. It seems I'm becoming a Summer Scrooge.
This affair was at a friend's place, so pretty hassle free as far as the cooking was concerned. (For the guests at least, the hosts still went to a lot of effort). As always, a barbecue offers me endless opportunities to try new recipes, so we have two new winners, including a Memphis inspired rub rack of ribs and fragrant and salty - sweet basil wrapped beef.
Recipe : Memphis Style Ribs
Adapted from the brilliant Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen
I didn't use the 'mop baste' as specified in the recipe, wanting my ribs to be crispy and dry, just how I like my chicken wings. I've included it in the recipe for those who prefer a saucier rib. Also, these were cooked over a regular gas BBQ and not over the wood chips that would have given them that Memphis smokiness. This all meant that the flavour was not intense, like most ribs, but subtle and allowing the taste of the pork to shine through.
2 racks of baby back ribs
1/8 cup paprika
2 and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 and 1/4 tsp dark brown sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
3/4 tsp celery salt
3/4 tsp chili powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp ground cumin
For the mop sauce (optional)
1 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup regular yellow mustard
1 tsp salt
Remove the thin, papery skin from the back of the ribs by grabbing an end and pulling with your fingers, it should come off quite easily.
Mix all the rub ingredients together in a bowl and rub into both sides of the ribs, reserving about 2 tbsp. Cover and let the ribs marinate, (or cure, as the book states), for 4 - 8 hours in the fridge.
If using the mop sauce, mix the ingredients together in a bowl, cover and refrigerate also.
You now have a choice. As these ribs need to cook for a long time, I thought it best if I started them in the oven and then finished them off at my friend's BBQ. If you want to do the same, remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature as you preheat the oven to 350oF. Cover if you want and cook for approximately 1 hour, after which time they will be getting tender.
If you want to BBQ them completely, perhaps using some smoking wood chips, place on a medium grill, cover and cook for 1 hour also.
In both cases, after an hour, baste with the mop sauce, if you are using and continue to BBQ for about 30 minutes. The ribs should be very tender after this time and pulling back from the bone. Sprinkle with the reserved 2 tbsp of rub and cut up into individual ribs and serve.
Recipe : Grilled beef and basil rolls
Adapted from same book as above
These are Vietnamese inspired little appetisers using good quality prime beef and a few aromatics. They are moreish and interesting.
8 ounces of very lean ground beef sirloin, (I bought a piece of strip loin and ground it in the processor)
2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
5 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp raw cane sugar
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
a very large bunch of basil, (you need about 25 - 30 large leaves)
Mix all the ingredients except the basil together in a bowl, using your hands to really squish everything together evenly. Select your basil leaves, lay them underside up on a flat surface and place about 2 tsp of the beef mixture in the middle. (See picture 2 images above). Roll up the leaf and repeat until all the leaves and ground beef has been used. Skewer them in threes onto medium sized skewers and grill over high heat for about 2 minutes each side until the basil is fairly crispy and the meat cooked through. Serve with a dipping sauce such as sweet chili.
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