Country Ribs
Summer Grilling: A Boy, His Big Green Eggs, Evolution & Meditrina
Grilling and dinner out on the patio are now becoming a nightly occurrence. Last night the Proulxs had the Byers and me over to an impromptu BBQ. It is one of the things I love about our neighborhood. Great neighbors that like to get together whether or not the event is planned or spur of the moment. Rick grilled some deliciously wonderful pork chops and Cheryl topped them with a blackberry balsamic sauce. A great unplanned gathering! Thanks Proulxs and Byers!
Country Pork Ribs, what are they? I am not sure, but here is what I know. They are not quit a loin or a chop, but they are not quit a rib either. What they are to me is a piece of pork with some bone in it, good fat to keep the meat moist and tender, all the flavors I love about ribs - but cooks in 1 hour rather than 4 or 5 hours. Oh yeah - you're going to love the price, too.
Here is how we cook our Country Ribs:
Preparation:
• Cut the long pieces of country ribs into nice size, meaty rib portions.
• Seasoned the ribs with Evolution Spice (see Rodolphe or Eric in the Tasting Room or online here at Sokol Blosser) and ground cumin. Then refrigerate covered for several hours. Over night is time permits.
Grilling:
Our Big Green Egg, Medford, was called to duty again. Ribs were grilled/smoked at 275-300 degrees for about an hour using water soaked cherrywood chips. “Where there’s smoke there’s flavor.” The last 15 minutes we brushed on some Stubb’s BBQ Sauce. Like it says on the bottle, “Ladies and Gentleman, I’m a Cook…and…my life is in these bottles.” When I can not make my own, Stubb’s is my guy!
Served With:
A new recipe from the current issue of Bon Appétit for Yukon Gold Potato Salad with Chiles, Cilantro and Toasted Cumin (the BBQ issue, June 2008). This was done on Medford, our grill, as well. It’s a “Make Again!”
Wine:
Ribs and Meditrina go together like peas and carrots at this house. However, tonight was an Evolution, 12th Edition night. The spice on the ribs, the perfect Evolution weather, it was an Evolution night. Also, since Evolution is the best with bold flavors and spicy dishes, I was able to bring out one of my favorite hot sauces, Glady’s Hot Sauce from St Thomas in the USVI (340-774-6604). You like it hot? I do too, and this is hot, but flavorful. Get a bottle on your next trip to the Caribbean. I bring back a bottle or two every year. Hot flavorful stuff, see the SB blog in December about Gladys and the USVI.
It was another great evening of cooking on the Big Green Egg in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Evolution was without a question the absolute “Bomb” last night! Is it me or is the 12th Edition just drinking stellar right now? Bring home a case, it won’t make it till the end of the Summer! Great job SB Winemaking Team: Russ, Doug and Mario. In the words of my good friend in NJ, Bob Trahan, “You boys are the Mack Daddy, Cool Diesel when it comes to Evolution!” Thanks Bob for that enlightened phase that has stuck with me for all those years.