Tender ribs without the wait

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

Here is a recipe that is sure to get you outside cooking. I love ribs but I truly hate the waiting time to get pork fork-tender. So what to do? Slice the meat thinner. It’s Just That Simple. Enjoy the taste of the outdoors without the wait.  Just make sure you have all your sides done before-hand and your fork in hand.

New England quick ribs 

If you are unable to find the subtly citrus-infused orange blossom honey, clover honey will do just perfectly. The difference? One comes from clover blossoms and is slightly less sweet than the other, which derives from the blossoms of orange trees.

Quick country ribs

2 pounds country-style pork ribs (boneless)
2 cups apple jelly
1/4 cup orange blossom honey
2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder

Throw the ribs in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until just partially frozen. Remove and lay each rib on a cutting surface with the cut-side down. Slice each rib into thirds, lengthwise.  This should give them about a 1/2 to 3/4-inch thickness per piece of pork. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high heat.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except ribs, and whisk until well-combined. Lay the ribs on the grate of your grill and cook 1 to 2 minutes over indirect heat. Flip over and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Start basting with your New England glaze and continue cooking until meat is done, about another 3 to 4 minutes per side. Continue liberally basting on both sides. (Never mind what television chefs tell you about only flipping meat over only once or they will be tough. This is complete foolishness with meat this thin.) Remove from grill and heat any remaining glaze to enjoy drizzled over the ribs.

Schiffer Books of Pennsylvania has released Jim Bailey’s new book The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen. It contains more than 550 traditional New England comfort-food recipes tweaked for today’s palates with hundreds of kitchen tips and food facts. The hardback book is 312 pages and contains 200 color images. Its ISBN is 978-0-7643-4191-5 and the cost is $34.99. The book can be ordered through Misty Valley Books, 802-875-3400.