robynmac
My college boyfriend, who I’ll call George, was studying to become an architect. However, had he pursued it, I truly believe he would have been a damn fine chef. George was a whiz in the kitchen. He was master at creating simple, tasty dishes on a slim budget. George could take a boring, frozen pizza, pile on his own freshly made toppings, and turn it into a gourmet meal.
One of George’s signature dishes was his short ribs. He’d dump them in a crock pot, pour in a bottle of barbecue sauce, and cook them on low for eight hours. They came out so tender the meat fell off the bone. Neither of us had access to an outdoor grill at the time, but George’s ribs sure satisfied our yen for barbecue.
Over the years I’ve tweaked his recipe, ever so slightly. These days, with food prices on the rise, short ribs are like gold. However, their ugly cousin, the back rib, is cheaper and flavorful. They also work nicely in a crock pot.
I simply stack the ribs in and add a little barbecue sauce between the layers. I’ll then add a little sauce on the top. The sauce becomes watery as it cooks, so I only use a quarter to half a bottle. Then I turn the pot on low and cook for seven to eight hours. I also check them while they’re cooking. If the meat on top gets a little dry I simply spoon some of the sauce from the bottom of the pot over it. Then, once the ribs are cooked, I’ll pour on a little more fresh sauce when I plate them.
I like to serve mine with scalloped potatoes or baked beans. Or both. Some people like corn on the cob and mashed potatoes. Or you may wish to try grandmother’s green bean recipe. Whichever way you choose, it’s a nice recipe for those who don’t have access to an outdoor grill.
Gayle Martin
Imagine the government telling you how much meat or chicken you could buy, or how much sugar or flour you could have. Strange as it may seem, at one time it actually happened. During WWII, the United States government devised a food rationing program to help insure that every family would have enough to eat. Rosie’s Riveting Recipes gives readers a glimpse into life on the WWII home front. A cookbook and a history lesson in one Rosies’s Riveting Recipes includes more than 180 economical, back-to-basics World War II ration recipes and short tales of life on the American home front interspersed throughout.
Rosie’s Riveting Recipes is available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com.