Baby Back Ribs with Roasted Strawberry Barbecue Sauce for a Red, White and Blue #SundaySupper

Baby Back Ribs with Roasted Strawberry Barbecue Sauce for a Red, White and Blue #SundaySupper

Yikes! A quick check of my records finds that I didn't participate in a #SundaySupper event in April which is the first and only month I've missed since I began with the group in January 2013. I had planned to participate in the April 19th Picnic event hosted by T.R. of Gluten Free Crumbley and had prepared a dish but I ran into a few execution issues, so I wasn't able to fulfill my commitment but I'm happy to be back today.

Inspiration Behind the Dish

With this week's #SundaySupper theme, Red, White and Blue, I was considering my options when I noticed some strawberries in my refrigerator Mrs. Stuntman had purchased from Costco. A quick check of The Flavor Bible yielded pairings that suggested a dessert, however I'm not normally a dessert type of guy. I then remembered that pork pairs well with sweet flavors and was intrigued by the thought of strawberries paired with pork. It also occurred to me that I won't be able to compete in Ribfest in the Park this year, but had I been able to attend, I would use this recipe.

Dish Details

From a preparation standpoint, this dish will look a lot like the one I published last July, but with a different sauce. For it, I used a barbecue sauce I found on epicurious as a guide, but it's ultimately a Crazy Foodie Stunts original. Other than the short cut I take in smoking the ribs, I would imagine that this dish could be found on any southern barbecue restaurant.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half lengthwise
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 2-to-3 pound rack baby back ribs

Special equipment: smoker bag

Method

1. Roast the strawberries and make the sauce. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Toss the strawberries with salt and pepper, then place on an aluminum foil-lined sheet pan in a single layer. Roast the strawberries in the oven until they soften and start to caramelize, approximately 20 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the garlic, onion powder, cumin and chili powder to sweat, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and liquid smoke and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes in order to blend the flavors. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary, then remove from heat and let it cool before placing in the refrigerator. The sauce can be made a day ahead of your rib preparation.

2. Rib preparation. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper. Place the ribs in the smoker bag bone-side down, then follow the instructions on the smoker bag. In my case, I placed smoker bag on an aluminum foil-lined sheet pan, then placed the oven rack on the lowest position possible and preheated the oven to 500º Fahrenheit. I placed the ribs in the oven at 500 for 15 minutes, then reduced the heat to 375º Fahrenheit for an additional 60 minutes. Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the heat to 425º Fahrenheit, then let the rind rest for 10 minutes before removing them from the smoker bag. Baste the ribs on both sides with the reserved strawberry barbecue sauce and place back in the oven so the sauce caramelizes, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Let the ribs rest for an additional 5 minutes, then cut crosswise into individual portions and serve with any leftover sauce.

Final Thoughts

From an execution standpoint, there are a couple of items to discuss. In my own evaluation, I found that I reduce the sauce too much and found it overly thick, as I simmered it closer to 20 minutes so I recommended dialing it back to 10 minutes in my instructions above. Secondly, I recommend resting the ribs in the smoker bag after 75 minutes primarily because the bag needs to cool down to handle. The smoker bags I use are sealed shut by folding the open end over twice so I recommend unfolding the bag carefully before removing the ribs because there will be about 1 cup of rendered fat in the bag that needs to be discarded before basting the ribs. The ribs can easily be prepared in the smoker bag on the grill but I highly recommend using indirect heat to caramelize the sauce in step 2 because the sugars in the sauce will cause the ribs to burn easily.

Before I leave you with the other red, white and blue dishes, I just wanted to acknowledge my friend Bobbi of Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen who prepared a similar strawberry barbecue sauce last summer and encourage you to try her recipe too!

Food Using One Color
Red Food

• Baby Back Ribs with Roasted Strawberry Barbecue Sauce by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Baked Tomato Breakfast Cups by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Red Velvet Milk Shake by Nosh My Way
• Strawberry Meringue Tartlets by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Oat Crumble by The Wimpy Vegetarian

White Food

• Alabama BBQ Sauce by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Blue Food

• Blueberry Breakfast Cookies by Pies and Plots
• Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Blue Velvet Cupcakes by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Food Using Two Colors
Red and White Food

• Pickled Shrimp with Pico de Gallo by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Sausage Rougail (Rougail Saucisse) by The Petit Gourmet

Blue and White Food

• Blueberry Feta Cucumber Salad by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Blueberry Pierogi by Curious Cuisiniere

Red, White and Blue Food

• Berry Berry Celebrations by Momma's Meals
• Berry Filled Firecracker Cupcakes by The Crumby Cupcake
• Berry Patriotic Chia Seed Pudding by Tasting Page
• Easy Chocolate Covered Marshmallows by Palatable Pastime
• Eton Mess by Caroline's Cooking
• Greek Yogurt Parfait Bar by Family Foodie
• Grilled Shrimp, Tomato and Bleu Cheese Flatbread by Our Good Life
• Individual Loaded Red, White, and Blue Salads by The Weekend Gourmet
• Patriotic Cocktail by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
• Patriotic Panna Cotta by The Freshman Cook
• Red White And Blue Coleslaw by Nik Snacks
• Red, White, and Blue Parfaits by Life Tastes Good
• Red, White and Blue Cherry Pie by Savory Experiments
• Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Red, White and Blue Sangria by Food Lust People Love
• Red White and Blue Sundae by Desserts Required
• St. Honore Cake by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Strawberry, Blueberry & Raspberry Cheesecake Crumble by Food Done Light
• Tomato Blue Cheese Crostini by Magnolia Days
• Triple Berry Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Vanilla Pound Cake with Fresh Berries by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Watermelon, Feta & Beet Appetizer by Take A Bite Out of Boca

5 Tips for Potlucks by Sunday Supper Movement

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Skillet Steak Fajitas for an Easy Holiday Entertaining #SundaySupper with @Beef

Skillet Steak Fajitas for an Easy Holiday Entertaining #SundaySupper with @Beef

There seems to be a certain theme in my dishes recently. Namely, a mad scramble to find an alternate dish because I wasn't able to prepare my original idea. Such was the case last Sunday and it repeats its ugly head again today. The dish I wanted to prepare originally utilized the oven which is not available to me at the time of this writing. I do live in an apartment and the matter is being addressed by the maintenance staff but it requires an order for a replacement part and am at the mercy of the manufacturer and the shipping company, so I am too.

This dish isn't the first one thought of when discussing Holiday dishes, but I must ask, why not? The dish could easily be prepared on a weeknight and if presented buffet-style would be perfect for a potluck style Holiday celebration. In fact, beef can be much more versatile during this time of year than a roast (but that always works well too!) To learn more about the adaptabililty of beef, I encourage you to review the Beef Checkoff website, 'Like' their facebook page, in addition to following them on their twitter and pinterest pages, but especially the #SundaySupper Beef pinterest board for more recipe ideas. This post is sponsored by The Beef Checkoff. All opinions are my own.

From the standpoint of the dish itself, long time readers of my site will remember that I profiled this dish two and a half years ago however I've done some additional research since then and have learned to fortify flavor of the dish.

The Challenge

Replicate a more flavorful version of a dish I profiled previously.

The Source

This dish has been inspired by Serious Eats and The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 flank steak, approximately 2 pounds
3 bell peppers, each a different color (red, green, orange, or yellow), coarsely julienned
1 large yellow onion, peeled, cut in half lengthwise (from root to stem), then sliced thin crosswise
8 to 10 flour tortillas, warmed
Salsa, guacamole, sour cream and/or shredded cheeses, for serving

Method

1. Marinate the fajitas. Combine the first eight ingredients in a small bowl, then divide the marinade between two resealable plastic bags. Place the flank steak in one of the bags and the bell peppers with the onions into the second. Push any excess air out of the bags, seal and refrigerate for 3 hours.

2. Cook the fajitas. In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon oil over medium high heat. While the pan is heating, remove the flank steak and the vegetables from their marinades and shake off any excess. Add the flank steak to the pan first, about 3 minutes per side or until medium rare. Remove from heat and set aside. Add the vegetables into the same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, approximately 5 minutes.

3. To serve, slice the flank steak thinly across the grain and serve with warmed tortillas and your chosen condiments, such as salsa, guacamole, sour cream and/or cheeses.

Successful?

One of the things I liked about Ree's version in addition to Chef López-Alt's is the seasoning of the accompanying onions and peppers which don't receive as much attention as the beef in many recipes and a good example is the version I published previously.

Please check out other Beef dishes for this week's event:

Appetizers

• Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon by MealDiva
• Chipotle Beef Taco Bites by Feed Me, Seymour
• Mini Beef Wellingtons by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Pepper Steak in Wonton Cups by Flavor Mosaic
• Philly Cheesesteak Dip by Life Tastes Good

Brunch or Breakfast for a Crowd

• Beef Sausage, Egg and Cheese Roll Ups by Daily Dish Recipes
• Beef Tenderloin Benedict by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Chicken Fried Steak by kimchi MOM
• Potato Pancakes with Filet Mignon and Fried Eggs by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Steak and Egg Breakfast Braid by Curious Cuisiniere

Main Dish

• Awesome Avocado Steak Tacos by Cooking Chat
• Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cider Beef Stew by Magnolia Days
• Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup by Shockingly Delicious
• Steak & Mushroom Pie by The Messy Baker

Potluck Style

• Beef and Bean Enchilada Bake by The Foodie Army Wife
• Braised Beef Ravioli by Family Foodie
• Mom's Lasagna by Alida's Kitchen
• Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs by Casa de Crews
• Skillet Steak Fajitas by Crazy Foodie Stunts

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Light Stunt: Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Am I being baptized by fire?

As you're well aware, I moved from California over this past summer. I grew up there and didn't realize how spoiled I was as a California resident from the standpoint of weather. Alas, as I sit here looking at my desktop monitor, I'm experiencing my first cold snap as a Washington resident. Overnight lows have dipped into the low 30s (that's one side or another of 0° Celsius) and it only warms to the mid 40s during the day. Consequently, I was in the mood for something warm and comforting.

The Source

Adapted from page 78 of Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello with Janet Fletcher.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups leek, white and pale green parts only, sliced thin
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into a coarse 1-inch dice
3 cups apples, peeled and cut into a coarse 1-inch dice
2 teaspoons toasted spice rub*
6 1/2 cups chicken stock\
Kosher salt
1/4 cup candied walnuts

Method

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter browns, add the leek and sweat, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant.

2. Raise the heat, then add the squash and apples and sauté until caramelized. Stir in the toasted spice rub, then deglaze with chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and maintain until the squash and apples are tender, approximately 40 minutes.

3. Transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and pureé until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, then transfer into warmed bowls garnished with candied walnuts. Serve immediately.

* The recipe for toasted spice rub can be found on page 24. Combine 1/4 cup whole fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon coriander seed and 1 tablespoon in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Toss frequently to ensure the spices toast evenly. Once the fennel is lightly browned, add in 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes and continue to toss, then remove to a plate and set aside to cool. Once cooled, grind in a spice grinder, then combine with 2 tablespoons kosher salt and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon.

Successful?

Chef Chiarello's toasted spice rub recipe makes significantly more than what is needed for this dish so I played around with the spice amounts to achieve a balance of flavors instead of making the recipe. I was also surprised that Chef Chiarello notes the walnut garnish as optional. In my opinion, they're an integral part of the dish, providing a contrast in both flavor and texture.

Slow Cooker Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I debated on several levels whether or not to publish this dish. It's not very complicated from a preparation standpoint. I also considered the source which is exponentially bad-a Deen family dish that appeared on Rachel Ray's daytime talk show. It's also extremely convenient and it's barbecue without needing a grill or smoker.

The Challenge

Summer barbecue without a grill.

The Source

As I stated before, this is from a Bobby Deen appearance on the Rachel Ray Show that originally aired this past February.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 2 to 3-pound boneless pork shoulder, patted dry
2 cups of apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup of ketchup
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 hamburger buns

Method

1.Prepare the pork: Season the pork shoulder with the salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Rub the seasonings into the pork on all sides. Enclose the pork in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prepare the sauce: Add the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and chili powder to a small saucepan and simmer over low heat to blend the flavors, approximately 5 minutes.

3. Cook the pork: Place the pork in a slow cooker and add two-thirds of the sauce. Turn the shoulder to coat, but ensure the fat side is up. Cover the slow cooker and set the power to low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours, or until tender and falling apart tender. Remove the pork and place on a cutting board to rest until cool enough to handle.

4. Finish the dish: While the pork rests, warm the remaining sauce. Shred the pork using two forks and cut into bite-size pieces, discarding any large chunks of fat. Place the pork in a large bowl, add the remaining sauce to taste and stir to combine. Serve on hamburger buns.


Successful?

Carolina-style barbecue is vinegar based, and this dish had a very strong vinegar flavor. The flavor was even too strong for Mrs. Stuntman and she generally enjoys these flavors. If I were to prepare these sandwiches again, I'd attempt to balance it by topping the pork with a sweet slaw.