“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe”
I found myself thinking of this Carl Sagan quote one day while scrounging in my pantry for a jar of barbecue sauce to slather on some ribs.
*bother!* I was out of barbecue sauce?!?
grumble, mumble, insert a bit of naughty word invective here – I guess I will have to make a batch.
Wait! What? I’m out of Cherry Pepsi too?
*sigh*
Oh, well.
In a pinch, A can each of Cherry Crush and plain ole Coke will do very nicely; now, where is that jar of forgiving cherry jam I had stashed away?…
*bother*
INGREDIENTS
Barbecue Sauce:
•1/2 cup cherry jam
•1 (12 oz) can Coke
•1 (12 oz) can Cherry crush
•2 cups ketchup
•1/2 cup cider vinegar
•1 tbsp Cajun seasoning or chili powder
•1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
•Juice of 1/2 lemon
•1 tbsp Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Sauce
(or your favorite hot sauce)
•2 tsp dry mustard
•1 cup brown sugar
•1 tsp granulated garlic
Ribs:
•6 country-style pork ribs
•Olive oil
•1 tsp ground ginger
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 tsp Brisket of Love Seasoning
•1 tsp seasoned salt
•1 tsp Cajun seasoning or chili powder
•1 tsp Caribbean Calypso Seasoning
•1/2 tsp dry mustard
•1/2 tsp pepper
Note: if you do not have access to my most excellent spice merchants, you may substitute your favorite steak seasoning for the Brisket of Love, and mebbe add a little freshly grated citrus zest and Cayenne in place of the Caribbean Calypso Seasoning.
Combine all of the barbecue sauce ingredients together in a large pan and heat to boiling.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or so until the sauce has thickened and turned a deep, dark red. Set aside to cool.
Heat oven to 350°.
Arrange the ribs in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and then rub it into the meat.
Whisk together the seasonings and rub onto the oiled ribs. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven and drain off any drippings in the pan.
Spoon the barbecue sauce over the ribs, then give them a turn to coat both sides.
Return to the oven, uncovered, for another 75 to 90 minutes, basting with additional barbecue sauce every half-hour or so.
Voila, tender and oh! so tasty cherry barbecue ribs!
We had ours with a tossed salad and tots on the side.
And, I must admit, it was most certainly worth all of the bother.