I love to try new recipes, but I get frustrated when I don’t write about them right away on my blog. I take a bunch of photos, some better than others, download them to my computer and tell myself that I’m going to write about the recipe tomorrow. Then I cook another meal, take some more pictures, download them to my computer before writing about previous recipe. Not today.

Friday night I made this quick and easy and very delicious recipe for pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes that was so good, I wasn’t going to wait a week or two before posting for you to check out and try it yourselves.

I found this recipe while browsing the latest food and wine edition on my iPad. That’s right, I am now checking out some of my favorite cooking magazines on an electronic device and guess what? I like the new technology. I like that I will be able to store future cooking magazines electronically so I don’t end up with more boxes of partially read cooking mags that I can’t seem to throw out.

Orecchiette with Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes

This recipe was created by one of my favorite Philadelphia chefs, Marc Vetri. I have written about Marc many times on my website, mostly about his involvement with Alex’s Lemonade Stand, a charity that I support that raises money to find a cure for childhood cancer, one cup at a time.

I’m guessing this recipe is in this month’s Food & Wine to promote Chef Vetri’s new cookbook, Rustic Italian Food, due to come out in November.  I can’t wait to buy a copy if only for his recipe for one of my favorite all-time pasta dishes, chicken liver rigatoni with cipolline onions and sage. Last time I spoke with Marc he told me it would be in this cookbook. If all the recipes in Rustic Italian Food are as good as the four that he offers up in Food & Wine, this cookbook may turn out to be one of my favorite Italian cookbooks.

My youngest daughter Maddie had two of her friends sleepover last night so we weren’t sure what kind of eaters they were.  I adapted Chef Marc’s recipe a little bit to make sure everyone would enjoy it. We started them off with the pasta alone with a little sauce on the side but all the girls eventually wanted more with the sauce.

I chose this recipe because we had most of the ingredients in-house including the orecchiette pasta, sausage and cherry tomatoes. We didn’t have any aged provolone cheese so I substituted freshly grated Parmesan cheese. I also didn’t add the crushed red pepper but put it on the table for anyone who cared for it and the turned out to be only me and my wife.

This recipe takes a total of 30 min. to prepare so it’s great for a weeknight meal or any time you need to put something together in a hurry. Using sausage instead of ground meat saves time because the sausage already is fully seasoned. Chef Mark uses the shredded cheese in the dish to give it a salty, creamy finish.

Pasta cooking tip - Mark says,” I always save the pasta water for thickening sauces. It should be a little cloudy from the starch.”
I like to add a little of the pasta water to my sauces too to help the sauce stick to the pasta.

Orecchiette Pasta

Orecchio is the Italian word for ear and the suffix etto means small so translated, orecchietta means small ear because someone thought that’s what these small pasta from southern Italy look like.  One of my favorite recipes featuring orecchiette is from Chef Ricco DeLuca called Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe. Check it out!

Orecchiette with Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes
Adapted from Marc Vetri’s new cookbook Rustic Italian Food
Time 30 minutes    4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound orecchiette
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¾ pound sweet Italian sausage, without casing
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Salt, to taste
• 2 ounces aged provolone cheese, shredded ( I used Parmesan)

How to Make Orecchiette with Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes at Home

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the orecchiette pasta until al dente, but be sure to reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water to help make the sauce.

While the pasta is cooking, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté or frying pan large enough to hold the pasta and sauce. When the oil is hot, add the sausage in 1 inch pieces and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. This should take about 8 to 10 min. Transfer the sausage to the plate lined with paper towel.

Add another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pan, raise the heat to medium high and as soon as it gets hot, add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper. While the tomatoes are cooking, use the back of a slotted spoon to press down on them until they are slightly softened. This should take about 4 to 6 min.

Now add the reserved pasta water, scrape up any brown bits of sausage and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Keep using the back of a slotted spoon to crush the tomatoes. This should all take about 5 to 7 min.

Add the pasta back to the pan along with the reserved sausage and the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Mix this all-together using your slotted spoon until the pasta is coated with sauce and olive oil.

Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the cheese and serve right away in warm pasta bowls along with any side dishes. We served steamed broccoli and a nice green salad. I also had some extra grated Parmesan cheese on the table in case anybody wanted more.
This recipe will be added to my list of quick and easy recipes that I would serve again to my family or to a group of friends.

Next week, I hope to try Chef Marc’s Bucatini with Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts especially since I have all the ingredients in the fridge already. Enjoy and let me know how y

Did you read my post on Barbecue Ribs? It describes some of the different styles of ribs based on location around the country. Some areas use rubs, some sauces, some both. Here I’d like to share with you a few recipe selections for both rubs and sauces that you can prepare at home instead of traveling all over the country to taste a particular style.

Rub Recipes

There are lots of commercial rubs on the market. Some of my favorite are from my buddy Chef David Nelson called Naughty Nelly’s Fiery Foods. Dave has created a selection of rubs including North of the Border Steak Rub, Tropical Chipotle Rub, Buffalo Wing Rub plus some amazing spice combinations.  My favorite is Naughty Nell’s Deadly Twelve Pepper Blend that can be used as a substitute for salt and pepper. Even my kids use it on their food.

Making Your Own Rubs

For these rubs, simply put all the ingredients in a jar, put the lid on, and shake to combine.  Don’t take the lid off for a few seconds, unless you enjoy sneezing!  All these recipes can be scaled up or down, depending on how many ribs you are cooking.  You will probably need at least 2 tablespoons of rub for each rack.

Rib Rub #1

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne

Rib Rub #2

• 1 1/2 cups of turbinado sugar
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoons of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons of paprika
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground chipotle pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of oregano

Rib Rub #3

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon granulated onion
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white pepper

Barbecue Sauce Recipes

As you can tell from the rub recipes above, most contain fairly similar ingredients.  It’s the sauce that really lets you know what style of barbecue you’re eating.  Here are a couple distinctive barbecue sauce recipes.

Eastern Carolina-style Barbecue Sauce

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon of your favorite hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well.  Let mature for 2-3 days in the refrigerator before using. This sauce can also be used as a mop for your ribs during cooking.

South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

• 1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard (yellow is traditional, but feel free to experiment with grain mustard, Dijon mustard or even beer mustard)
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until the sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate for 2-3 days before using.

St. Louis Style Barbecue Sauce

Not too thick; not too thin.  Just right.

• 2 1/2 cups ketchup
• 3/4 cup water or beer
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Cool and chill in the refrigerator for a day or two before serving.

Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons liquid hickory smoke flavoring, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

In a sauce pan, sweat the onion in the butter over medium low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat and keep at a low simmer for about 30 minutes. Cool and chill in the refrigerator for a day or two before serving.

There are so many more great rubs, mops and sauces representing geographic regions around the country. There is this great book that’s been available for a number of years and is still a great source for anyone interested in learning more about barbecue called Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes by Jim Tarantino. I encourage you to check out his book if you want to get serious about barbecue.

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Shedding Some Light on Ribs

I wrote a post last week called What Is Barbecue about the different styles of barbecue.  There’s so much information out there on barbecue, but even after all my research, I probably just barely scratched the surface.  While the sheer amount of fact and opinion out there is daunting, I still want to make an amazing rack (or three) of Kansas City-style ribs for my family.

So, I dove back in to find some specific answers to my questions about making barbecued ribs.  Hopefully, this post will answer my questions about ribs like:

• Do I really have to have a smoker?
• Is it okay to wrap the ribs in foil?
• What about baking?  Is that barbecue blasphemy?

And maybe it will answer more questions that you might have.  As a home amatur cook, I write these posts when I want to learn something new about a particular subject with the idea that you may have the same question. After all, we’re in this together.  Let’s learn about ribs

Rib Anatomy

Just like in humans, the ribs are attached at the spine and at the sternum, and form a cage that protects vital organs such as the heart and lungs.  In cross-section, portions of the rib cage form a circle, just like a real cage.

Ribs for barbecue can be cut from the back of the pig near its spine.  These are called baby back ribs or loin ribs, since they are cut from the back.  Aside from the loin, ribs are also cut from areas along the sides and belly of the pig, just up from the sternum.  These are called spare ribs.  Just two racks of baby backs and two racks of spare ribs can be cut from each pig.

But ribs are ribs, right?  They probably all taste the same?

This is absolutely false.  Baby back ribs are fairly small and curved, are leaner and more delicate in flavor.  Spare ribs are larger and flatter and contain a lot more fat.  Since fat carries flavor, spare ribs are often favored by barbecue experts due to their rich meaty flavor.

Many national chain restaurants serve baby back ribs because they are smaller and cook more quickly, but for real barbecue aficionados, and real barbecue restaurants, pork spare ribs are the ribs of choice.

Before you Texans start chiming in, yes, I know you can also barbecue beef ribs.  But for me, pork ribs not only give me that slightly sweet flavor that I love, they are also better suited size-wise to my family.  Beef ribs are huge and have a lot of meat. If you’re a big eater, or you’re from Texas, you can absolutely barbecue beef ribs rather than pork ribs; just remember that beef ribs will take longer to cook, so adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Different Styles of Ribs

The main difference among the different styles of ribs are whether or not a rub and/or mop and/or sauce is used and the way the ribs are trimmed.  For example, St. Louis-style ribs, the kind that I’m most interested in making, are spare ribs that have been trimmed of the brisket end and the skirt.

(If your eyes just started to glaze over, you’re not alone.  Mine did too when the butcher told me that.  Don’t worry, though–just ask the butcher to trim them for you.)

Cooking Ribs at Home

I don’t want you to think that you shouldn’t cook baby back ribs at home.  That’s the beauty of cooking at home; you can make pretty much anything you want!  Baby backs are a good choice if you want a quicker meal and less fatty ribs.  You can apply any of these cooking techniques to either baby back or spare ribs.

Before cooking, remove the tough membrane that runs along the length of the bony side of your rack of ribs.  This isn’t hard to do.  Just work your knife under the membrane along one of the short ends of your ribs.  Once you have about an inch of it loose, grab that end with a paper towel or a lint-free cloth towel and pull back and away.  The membrane should come off in one piece.  If it doesn’t, use your knife again to loosen up another little flap and then pull.

This is a necessary step in cooking ribs.  The membrane is impermeable.  That means that nothing gets through it.  If you leave the membrane in place, no matter how much rub you put on that side, no flavor is going to get through that membrane.

Smoke Then Grill

Probably the most authentic pit master way of cooking barbecue ribs is to smoke them first and then finish them on the grill.  Either season simply with some salt and pepper or pack on your favorite rub. (If using a rub, wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and let them rest in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours).

Once your ribs are seasoned to your liking, smoke them between 200-225F until you can rotate a rib bone slightly, about 4 hours, give or take, depending on how large your ribs are.  If you can’t rotate the bone, then the connective tissue has not broken down enough.

Once the bones are a bit loose inside the meat, you can finish them off on the grill over medium-high heat.  Now is the time to slather on your favorite barbecue sauce, unless you want to cook the ribs dry, or without sauce.  In that case, simply serve some sauce on the side, and make everyone happy.

You can also go ahead and eat the ribs as is, without grilling them.  Just baste on some sauce during the last 30 minutes of cooking. But, if you want some caramelization, you’re going to have to take them to the grill.

The ribs should only need a few minutes on the grill on each side.  Remember, they are already cooked from the smoking.  Grilling will add just a little bit of char and, if you are using sauce, the heat will caramelize the sauce and thicken it for a really finger licking, lip smacking barbecue.  There is a fair amount of sugar in most barbecue sauces, so watch carefully.  Sauced ribs can turn from succulent to carbonized in a very short amount of time!

One down-side of this method, especially if you are cooking baby back ribs, is that the meat can have a tendency to dry out.  Keep the heat in your smoker low and don’t let them overcook to help minimize the chance of dryness.

The 3-2-1 Method

This is an easy one to remember:  3 hours unwrapped in the smoker, 2 hours tightly wrapped in foil in the smoker, 1 more hour unwrapped.  The first three hours, you cook them meat side up, the next two, meat side down and the last, meat side up again.

With the 3-2-1 method, you are sure to end up with moist and tender ribs, because during the two hours the ribs are wrapped in foil, they are steaming in their own juices.  The times are specifically for spare ribs, so if you’re cooking baby back ribs, reduce the first time from 3 hours to 2.

What If I Don’t Have a Smoker?

You can turn your charcoal grill into a smoker if you will only be cooking 1 or 2 racks of ribs.  It’s pretty simple, really.  Aside from your normal grilling gear, you will need:

• 2 disposable pans.  The 2 pans should be able to fit side by side in the grill with little or no room left over.
• Some chunks of hardwood for smoking.

How to:

1. Take the grilling rack off the grill and put one of the pans in one side of the bottom of your grill (on top of the small grate that holds the coals).
2. Light the coals in the other half of the bottom of the grill.
3. Once the coals are ready, add a few large chunks of hardwood to generate smoke.
4. Replace the grilling rack and put the other pan directly over the coals.
5. Fill the pan with boiling water.  This will keep the interior of your grill, and the ribs, moist.
6. Place your seasoned ribs over the empty pan and next to the pan of water.  The pan underneath will catch any drips and keep the charcoal over on the other side of the grill.
7. Put the lid on the grill and adjust the heat using the damper to keep the temperature around 215-225F.
8. You can use the 3-2-1 method or the smoke-then-grill method.  You will probably have to replace the hardwood chunks every hour or so to make sure it stays good and smoky, at least during the first couple of hours of cooking when most of the smoke penetration happens.

But I Don’t Have Time for All That

Six hours is a huge time commitment.  And making your own smoker might seem like growing your own mustard plants so you can make some Dijon to go on your ham!  Granted, you don’t need to be standing right over the smoker the whole time, and your neighbors will spend most of the day salivating over the amazing smells coming from your back yard, but as much as I like to do things the authentic way, sometimes I just don’t have the time.  So then what?

Using your oven won’t give you the traditional smoke flavor, but it will shave a few hours off of prep time, and you can always add just a touch of liquid smoke to your marinade.

• The night before, or at least 2 hours before cooking, remove the rib membrane and season with your favorite rub or with just salt and pepper.  Preheat the oven to 250F.
• Mix up some barbecue sauce or thin out a store-bought sauce with a bit of beer, stock or water to use as a marinade.
• Wrap the ribs up in foil, leaving one end open.  Carefully pour in about a cup of your marinade and tightly seal the opening.
• Place the ribs on a baking sheet and bake for about 2 1/2 hours, or until you can just rotate one of the rib bones.
• Pour the marinade and drippings into a pan and reduce until syrupy.
• Serve this as a sauce for your ribs.

Crock Pot Ribs

This is an unconventional method of cooking ribs, and I can almost guarantee you that you will never find this at your local barbecue shack, but you can’t beat this method for walk-away ease and tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs.

• In the morning before you go out for the day, dice up a large onion and put it in the bottom of your crock pot.
• Put the ribs in on top (you might have to cut the rack in half or thirds, depending on the size of your crock pot).
• Then, pour in 1 1/2 cups of store bought or homemade barbecue sauce, put on the lid and turn the crock pot to medium.
• If your crock pot doesn’t have a medium setting, turn it to high.

The ribs will be done in 6-8 hours.  They won’t be the kind you can pick up and gnaw off the bone.  As a matter of fact, the meat will probably fall off the bones while you’re trying to get them out of the crock pot!

Bert’s Barbecue Baby Back Ribs

Purists would say Bert’s method isn’t barbecue at all but if you are in a hurry and want some delicious steamed/grilled ribs, this is a great alternative. I have made these ribs many times on weeknights when I don’t have 3 hours to slow cook with smoke.

In Bert’s method, ribs are seasoned and cooked covered with the contents of a bottle of a beer. In the past I have said they are braised, but looking at it more closely, I would say the ribs are steamed and not braised because of the amount of liquid used in the cooking process. To read my post on this process, check out Bert’s Barbecue Baby Back Ribs.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is that you’re never going to have really moist, tender “barbecue” ribs in under 2 1/2-3 hours.  Ribs have a lot of connective tissue, and low, slow moist cooking is absolutely necessary to make the collagen break down into gelatin without having the proteins seize up like they would at high temperatures. Yes, you can braise/steam first and grill second and even use a little smoke, but is that really barbecue. I guess it depends on where you are from and what you grew up with.

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