Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs

The other day when I was talking to my mother, she mentioned that she wanted to eat ribs. Just a little suggestion like that can make it my mission to make something!

I decided to make Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs. You can use this technique using a regular western-style rub and barbecue sauce too, or any other rub & sauce combination you like.

They're so simple to make--simpler than my Oven Baked Pork Ribs. They're not quite as soft as the Oven Baked Pork Ribs, but still tender. I used a package of pork loin back ribs that I purchased from Costco, about 7 lbs. There were 3 slabs of ribs in that package, enough to share with several people!

Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens recipe

3 racks pork loin ribs, about 7 lbs.

1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Mix together to form rub:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

Barbecue sauce:

3/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Mix ingredients for the rub. Taste and adjust seasonings.

The day before you're going to cook the ribs, sprinkle under-side of ribs with the rub. Brush the meaty sides of the rib slabs with the Dijon-style mustard and liquid smoke mixture and sprinkle generously with the rub. Place into shallow roasting pan, bone sides down, cover with foil, and marinate overnight.

To cook, bring ribs to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Bake, covered for 1 hour. Carefully drain off fat.

In a small bowl, stir together hoisin sauce, molasses, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Brush mixture evenly over ribs starting with the bone sides. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until ribs are tender.

The ribs have a nice glaze.

I put the third rack of ribs in a separate pan, but you could put them on top of the other ones. Just watch them so the top one doesn't burn.

Use a sharp knife to cut the ribs apart so it doesn't look like you used a saw.

That's better!

This is the dish I took for my parents, it had some Spinach Cups in it too.

Itadakimasu!



***



I was sad to have missed my high school reunion and all-class picnic this year, but some of the girls that were still in town on Monday met for lunch at one of our favorite places from our youth, In-'N'-Out!

From the left: Coleene, Roselynn, me, Becky and Sally.

Here we were in high school.

And me, Becky and Sally in kindergarten!

Hope to see everyone next summer at the All-Class Picnic!


***

Chinese-Style Oven Baked Ribs

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens recipe

3 racks pork loin ribs, about 7 lbs.

1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard mixed with 1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Mix together to form rub:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

Barbecue sauce:

3/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Mix ingredients for the rub. Taste and adjust seasonings.

The day before you're going to cook the ribs, sprinkle under-side of ribs with the rub. Brush the meaty sides of the rib slabs with the Dijon-style mustard and liquid smoke mixture and sprinkle generously with the rub. Place into shallow roasting pan, bone sides down, cover with foil, and marinate overnight.

To cook, bring ribs to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Bake, covered for 1 hour. Carefully drain off fat.

In a small bowl, stir together hoisin sauce, molasses, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Brush mixture evenly over ribs starting with the bone sides. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until ribs are tender.

Beef Stew

My family loves stew.

 With the cooler weather here in Southern California, it was time to get a pot of beef stew going.

I think this will easily serve 8 to 10 people.

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds of lean stew meat or chuck roast

3 cloves garlic

1 (14 oz.) canned tomatoes

4 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 celery ribs

1-1/2 cups chopped leeks

4 potatoes, chopped

2 sweet onions, chopped

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup frozen peas

optional spices: 2 bay leaves and a pinch of thyme, rosemary, oregano, or sage

salt & pepper

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

I used two packages of stew meat, but for our tastes, it was a bit too much meat--you can adjust the quantities for your tastes.

Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.

I don't put any oil in the pan--I heat up the pan and put the meat into it to sear--then turn the meat over & stir when it's seared on one side.

Add the garlic.

Add 1/2 cup red wine.

And a can of stewed tomatoes and 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce.

Simmer on low heat for 90 minutes.

The meat cooks well in the crock pot, too.

Chop your vegetables.

If you want the leeks to dissolve into the stew, add them when the meat first starts simmering--or add them with the rest of the vegetables.

Add the vegetables and simmer for 25 minutes or until the meat is soft and vegetables are done.

Bring the pot back to a boil and add the cornstarch and water, a little at a time, stirring until the mixture thickens.

Then add 1 cup frozen peas, simmer for 5 minutes more.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Itadakimasu!

***

I've been doing a lot of craft shows lately.

Last weekend we went to San Leandro for Eden's Holiday Craft Show by Asian Accents.

My friends Daniel and Cynthia of Clayvision were there with their cute charms, bracelets, ornaments and food journals.

Saimin.

Bento.

Sushi.

Breakfast.

At one of the other craft shows, their son Cameron played in the car with Dixie.

He likes it when he talks to Dixie and she wags her tail.

This is Cameron just last year in San Leandro.

He's grown so much in a year!

Just last year, Daniel & Cynthia's little one was playing with my little one.

They played again together this year, but this time I didn't get any photos--big mistake.

Time goes by fast.

Take a lot of photos.

***

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds of lean stew meat or chuck roast

3 cloves garlic

1 (14 oz.) canned tomatoes

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

4 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 celery ribs

2 cups chopped leeks

4 potatoes, chopped

2 sweet onions, chopped

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup frozen peas

optional spices: 2 bay leaves and a pinch of thyme, rosemary, oregano, or sage

salt & pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and sear in a hot pan. 

Add 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup red wine, 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce  and canned tomatoes and simmer for 90 minutes on low heat. Add optional spices if desired.

Add vegetables, except peas, and simmer on low for 25 minutes until the meat is soft and vegetables are done.

When vegetables are done, bring the pot back up to a boil and add the cornstarch and water, a little at a time, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

Add the peas and simmer for 5 minutes more or until peas are done.

Season with salt and pepper.

Saffron Fried Rice

Saffron fried rice is one of my favorite things to eat.

I love the smell of the saffron as well as it's delicate savory flavor and the yellow color it adds to rice.

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon

1 cup sausage, sliced or crumbled

2 chicken breasts

8 shrimp

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped carrots

4 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

1 cup artichoke hearts sliced into bite-sized pieces

1 cup black olives

4 cups uncooked long grain rice

6 cups water

1 14 oz. diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Cut up 4 slices of bacon.

This pepper bacon is from Stater Brothers.

Steve The Plumber says Stater Brothers has the best bacon.

Brown the bacon in a large pot, then remove and set aside.

I had this linguiça sausage in the freezer.

Good chance to use it.

Chop into small pieces and brown it in the bacon fat.

Remove from pan when browned and drain along side the bacon.

Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.

Add to the pot and lightly brown.

Remove and drain.

The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked because you're going to add it back into the pot when the rice is almost done and it will steam to cook through.

Chop the celery, carrots, onions and garlic.

Before adding the vegetables into the pot, remove all but about a tablespoon of fat.

Saute the vegetables until they're wilted.

When the vegetables are wilted, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the rice.

Saute the rice over medium-high heat until the rice is lightly browned.

This fried rice is different from my Bacon Fried Rice, in that the rice is fried before it's cooked.

Add the diced tomatoes and give them a rough chop with your spoon, then add the water and bring to boil.

This is the saffron I have.

I think it may have come from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods.

I love the smell of saffron.

"I'm just mad about Saffron, Saffron's mad about me..."

What song is that from?

Add a 1/2 teaspoon to the pot.

I read somewhere that saffron is the most expensive spice by weight.

It's harvested from a saffron crocus flower.

It's the stigma--and there's only three per flower.

I tried growing them in my yard years ago, but with no luck.

Add the oregano and cumin.

Salt and pepper to taste.

When it comes to a full boil, turn the heat to low and cover for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, put the cooked meats, olives, artichoke hearts and shrimp on top of the rice, cover again and steam for 20 more minutes or until the shrimp is curled and pink and the rice is done.

Turn the heat off and let the rice steam for 10 minutes.

Mix toppings into the rice before serving.

Sometimes it's a little tricky to get the rice fluffy.

Last year I got a new cooktop, and have had to make adjustments cooking the rice--more heat or less heat while the rice is covered and steaming, and adjusting the amount of water.

This rice is worth a few tries to get it right!

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with a green salad.

Itadakimasu!

***

Be back to posting again after the holiday.

Have a great July 4th!

***

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon

1 cup sausage, sliced or crumbled

2 chicken breasts

8 shrimp

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped carrots

4 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

1 cup artichoke hearts sliced into bite-sized pieces

1 cup black olives

4 cups uncooked long grain rice

6 cups water

1 14 oz. diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Cut up 4 slices of bacon and brown in a large pot. Remove and set aside. Add the sausage, brown it, remove and set aside. Do the same with the chicken. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the meats, then add the chopped celery, onions, carrots & garlic and saute until wilted.

When the vegetables are wilted, add 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, then add the rice and saute until rice is lightly browned. 

Add the diced tomatoes, giving them a rough chop with your spoon, then add the water and bring to boil. Add 1/2 (or more) teaspoon saffron to the pot, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. When the liquid comes to a full boil, turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, put the cooked meats, olives, artichoke hearts and shrimp on top of the rice, cover again and steam for 20 more minutes or until the shrimp is curled and pink and the rice is done. Turn the heat off and let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Mix what's cooking on the top into the rice before serving.