At this time of year, there is something in the air. You can’t avoid the symptoms that go along with it either. No, I am not referring to allergies from pollen. This is something much better. Grilling season has begun and it is time to catch grilling fever.
For many people, the grill has been stowed away in the garage or outside shed for the past few months. If it was not covered and protected, it has the dust and spider webs of winter.
There are many things that signal the start to the grilling season. Warmer days is one. Although foods grilled during the winter are wonderful, it seems that warmer weather makes grilled food taste better. Longer days and an earlier start to daylight savings allow more natural light to grill by.
Advertising circulars from the grocery store are another indication. It looks like all indicators point to the fact that grilling season is upon us.
Regardless of those three factors, my family kicks off the grilling season in the middle of March, warm weather or not.
As I mentioned last year, this is when my father celebrates his birthday. I actually like to think of his birthday as the “opening day” of grilling.
Every year, we ask my father for his suggestions. This year, he was stumped. After going through a list of items, I recalled a recent conversation about how much my father enjoys my grandmother’s sweet and sour ribs. I suggested them and, nodding his head, I received and enthusiastic yes!
My grandmother developed her sweet and sour rib recipe on her own. Although her version is cooked in the oven, I knew it could be adapted for the grill. Grandma and I set out to determine the best way it could be done.
Converting her recipe into a grilled recipe seemed very easy, except for one little problem. Grandma rarely, if ever measures anything. This was the same way I learned to cook. We had to determine quantities for the recipe.
Another adjustment was made for the new version of ribs. Instead of having the butcher cut spare ribs into small sections, we decided upon a smaller rib. The St. Louis-style center cut ribs would work out nicely.
After I seasoned the ribs with salt and pepper, I seared them over direct heat for a few minutes to brown them a little.
After that, they were allowed to cook indirectly for a few hours. At the point when they started to become tender, the ribs were sliced between the bones into their individual sections.
The sauce was layered with the ribs into a heavy-duty disposable roasting pan and placed back on the grill to finish the cooking.
We served the ribs with an Asian style cabbage salad and fried rice..
Grandma’s Sweet & Sour Ribs
(From Virginia Ardizzone; Serves 6-8)
Ingredients for the Sweet & Sour Sauce
2 20-ounce cans pineapple chunks in juice
1/2 cup sherry
3/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/4 cup water
Ingedients for the ribs
5 to 7 pounds St. Louis-style ribs (3 racks), washed and dried
Salt and pepper to taste
Step 1: Warm a saucepan over medium heat and combine the pineapple and its juice, sherry, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and ground ginger.
Once everything is well mixed and the brown sugar has dissolved, add the bell pepper, carrot and onion. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender. Mix the cornstarch and water to create slurry. While stirring the sweet and sour sauce, pour the slurry into the mixture and heat until it thickens.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, make add more slurry mixture. This may be refrigerated overnight or used immediately. If refrigerating, heat the sauce prior to using on the ribs.
Step 2: Season the ribs with salt and pepper to taste. Sear the ribs directly over a medium to hot fire until they have begun to brown. Adjust the fire so that the ribs will continue to cook over indirect heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Step 3: After this time has passed, remove the ribs from the grill and slice them.
Pour a little sweet and sour sauce onto the bottom of a disposable aluminum-baking pan, followed by the ribs.
Finish with a final layer of sweet and sour sauce. Cover the ribs and return them to the grill over indirect heat for 1 to 2 hours. Every 15 to 20 minutes, stir the ribs to keep the sauce evenly distributed.
SPECIAL NOTE: You may use a roasting pan for the final cooking too. To prevent the bottom from scorching or becoming black from the smoke, cover the bottom in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
