Heather Solos's Blog, page 59

Collard Greens, Sausage, Peppers, and Onions – A One Dish, Gluten Free Meal

Heather says:

You have seen one of my favorite recipes Sausage, Peppers, and Onions, right? This simple variation is great for those nights when you need something lower carb, have gluten free guests, or simply want to incorporate more cruciferous vegetables into your diet.

You can substitute any of your favorite greens, cut into shreds, for the collards in this meal without any changes. If you would like to get super adventurous and try something like broccoli rabe in place of the collard greens, then I strongly recommend you do not omit the recommended blanching step. With milder greens, blanching is unnecessary, but if you are particularly sensitive to bitter flavors, go ahead and add the optional tomatoes or a squeeze of lemon juice to reduce any potential bitter flavor.

 

: Collard Greens, Italian Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

: Quick weeknight, guest worthy, gluten free meal

1 lb mild Italian sausage links
splash of olive oil
1 yellow or white onion, sliced (I prefer Vidalia)
2 – 6 bell peppers
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP fresh basil, chopped (chiffonade if you’re fancy) or a good pinch of dried
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 lb shredded collard greens (half a large bag)
optional 1 15oz can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes



Instructions

Brown the sausage in a splash of olive oil over medium low. When the links are cooked through, remove from the pot, slice into coins and return to the pot.
Add the sliced onions and bell peppers and cook until the onions are soft, stirring frequently.
Add the collard greens, basil, Italian seasoning and tomatoes (optional) and cook for ten minutes. Serve immediately.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

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This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite

Dear Home-Ec 101,

I recently moved to the NYC area…and as of yet, I haven’t had any problem with bed bugs, but I was wondering if there is a good method of prevention I should be following? I’ve noticed a few condemned apartment buildings around my area that were condemned due to bed bugs, so I think about it a lot!

Thanks!

Bugged in Brooklyn

Heather says:

Bleh, bed bugs are certainly a growing problem, especially in areas with high population density, and the obnoxious part is that it’s starting to require stronger and stronger pesticides to control them.

This time I’m not going to reinvent the wheel to answer your question about bed bugs. The University of Minnesota has two great factsheets that clearly explain how to prevent and treat bed bug infestations.

Preventing Bed Bugs from Hitchhiking to Your Home

Prevention and Control of Bed Bugs in Residences

Now I’m all itchy and going to shower (again). Thanks for that!

Good luck and I hope you never have to deal with the nightmare of treating your home for bed bugs.

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com

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Getting Rid of Mildew Odor in Towels

Dear Home Ec 101,

I’m not always great about making sure my towels get dried the same day they are washed. This leads to them smelling like mildew. Will the smell go away? Can I do anything to make it go away? Or did I just ruin all my towels?

Signed,

Mildewed in Minneapolis

Heather says:

*READER WARNING* I don’t think I’ve stopped sneezing because of my allergies since my eyes popped open this morning. I have a kleenex shoved up my nose (hawt! I know) so I can type without getting anything disgusting on the keyboard, and having to write a post on that is not on my list of things I want to do. . . ever. All that is to say I’m in a fairly REALLY foul mood and if I accidentally over-snark, I’m sorry.

Your mildewed towels are not ruined. In fact, towels with mildew odor are a frequent topic here on Home-Ec101.com, so don’t feel too alone in your habit of not drying the towels.

First of all, preventing mildew in towels by drying them promptly and thoroughly is the best tactic; but seeing as how it’s too late for that, we’ll work on remedying the mildew situation.

Check out this post on stripping detergent and fabric softener from your towels. You see, mildew can get trapped by the sticky residue left behind by using too much detergent, or ANY fabric softener. (You do know that using fabric softener on towels reduces their absorbency, right). If you consistently have a problem with detergent build up, go ahead and read this post on whether or not to wash clothes in cold water.

If there are mildew stains, use oxygen bleach or sunlight to get rid of the mildew spots.  Just be aware that strong sunlight and the overuse of oxygen bleach (or lemon juice or vinegar) can all weaken the cotton fibers in your towels. They can also fade the dye, if your towels are dark colored. Remember weak fibers = more lint; and who needs lint in their laundry? No one, that’s who! Have a problem with lint? Read How to Reduce Lint in the Laundry Room.

Finally, if you consistently leave your laundry in the washer, and you have a front loader; then you may need to read how to get rid of mildew in a front loading washer.

These tips should help you both prevent and solve your mildewed towel problems.

Good luck!

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

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Sink or Swim, State of the Site, Off topic-ish

Heather says:

I don’t talk about my life too much here on Home-Ec 101 because I want this site to apply to all adults (even those who feel like they are pretending) no matter where they are in their life. Whether you have just left college and are trying to figure out what you need to build a pantry (FYI I’m going to revisit this section and improve upon it) or if you have kids and are just trying to figure out how to get the kool-aid out of the grout, to the empty-nesters who are suddenly faced with the option of cooking for one or two instead of what feels like an army. For those that don’t know, I have three children, the youngest of which was born about six months after this site was launched. I’ve gone from potty training and just trying to keep them from offing themselves while my back is turned to trying to help them find their direction and strength.

I am currently visiting my father in Myrtle Beach, SC. I’ve visited Myrtle ever since I was a very young child and my own transition from kid jumping into the deep end, to angst ridden disdainful teen lurking in the deep water, to parent catching the kid jumping off the side is never more apparent than when I am here. I look around and wonder if some of those other moms and dads are the ones I hung out with over the years.

Yesterday my youngest child swam across the deep end all by herself, no floats, no swim-aids, just sheer will power and me treading water beside her just in case she ran into trouble. (Also she did this before either of her older brothers have even attempted.)

For a very long time I have felt like I’ve been treading water, knowing that I’m in way over my head. I rarely look back because I’m scared I’ll lose site of my goal, consequently I frequently lose perspective on how very far I (and Home-Ec101.com) have come. (We already passed 1 million unique visitors in 2012 -early July and July also saw well over 200k unique visitors.) For those who aren’t up on what those numbers mean, let’s just say it’s a good thing, a very good thing.

When I flew home from Minnesota earlier this month I came home to a dead car battery and I complained on Twitter. Of course I was able to get it jumped. (Do you want me to write about how to jump a car? It’s not that hard, it can just feel intimidating if you are unfamiliar with it.) I worked at my other job (at the Irish Pub) on my birthday and a bunch of friends I have met through blogging, Twitter, and all kinds of places showed up to wish me well. Among the completely unexpected gifts was a large, very heavy box. Since I’m somewhat responsible, I put the box in the storage room at work to retrieve the next morning, as I wasn’t going to make my designated driver play bellhop, too. See, I can be considerate at times.

When I arrived at work the next morning, I opened the box, expecting something along the lines of a cast iron pot. Nope, it was a brand new car battery. I burst into tears. -I’m human, shut up already.

Of course I said thank you.

It wasn’t until yesterday as I watched my daughter struggle with sheer determination across the pool that I realized that no matter what happens, I’m going to be okay. Those that care about me are close by and aren’t going to let me sink, but they know how important it is for me to meet these goals on my own.

To meet these goals, I need to know what you want from Home-Ec101.com. I know I need to get back into the habit of getting more recipes on the site.

As an example:

Would you like me to compile the recipes into a Kindle / eCookbook?

Would a compilation of kitchenware / small appliances with the Home Ec 101 seal of approval have any appeal?

What ideas do you have? I can’t promise I’ll get to them all, I just want to add to my pool of potential projects for those mornings I sit at the computer and draw a blank. (Yes, I always have a few reader questions in the queue, I just know that sometimes we’ve had too many in a row.)

Bring back Fearless Fridays?

What do YOU want?

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This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

Baby Bottle Cleaning -Ask the Audience

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Help! I’m a new mom cleaning baby bottles. I breastfeed my baby, and she takes breast milk in a bottle when I’m at work.

I should know the answer to this question, as I’m a pharmacist and took years of chemistry. I’m so embarrassed!

Hot, soapy water does not remove stubborn milk residue from the insides of my baby’s bottles. Breast milk has a high fat content. It’s also hard to mechanically remove the residue since my hand can’t fit in the bottle, my fingers aren’t long enough, and bottle brushes just leave streaks of milk behind!

I’m looking for a solvent. I know that alcohol dissolves lipids, but simply swishing the alcohol doesn’t work. Do I warm it up first?

Signed,

Bottle it up

Heather says:

I would not want to use any kind of solvent in your infant’s bottles, unless they are glass, and even then I’d be hesitant.

 You all know I’m not scared of  the broad term “chemicals.” I also don’t believe that natural means safe.

That said there are specific instances in which I am extra careful about what cleaners I choose, an infant’s bottle is definitely one of those cases. I think of it this way, if you’re going to the trouble of breastfeeding Breastfeeding is demanding work. I breastfed all of my children and would make that same choice if I had to do it all over again. However, I will never try to tell a new mom that breastfeeding is the easy choice as some uber-advocates try to proclaim. then don’t undo your efforts and expose your child to chemicals like pthalates (there are no pthalates in the rubbing alcohol you mentioned, but rubbing alcohol can weaken some plastics.)

Use a mild detergent*, HOT water, and PHYSICAL energy to clean out those bottles. I never bothered with bottle brushes and instead just shoved the dishcloth way down inside and twisted the heck out of it. In particularly stubborn cases I would take a chopstick and use it (inside the cloth) to get down into that stupid ridge at the bottom of the bottle. (Yes, I was also frustrated by the fat left behind.)

Very hot water and plenty of detergent (just like when we talked about how washing machines clean clothes) are what is needed to get rid of that fatty residue. My pal Amy Tucker added a squirt of soap to the bottle, a little hot water, and shook the snot out of it.

Maybe a fellow Home Eccer has stumbled upon an easier way to clean baby bottles? (Feel free to chime in, in the comments!) If not, well, just remember this is a very short period of time. You’ll only have to deal with these bottles until cup weaning which is recommended (by many pediatricians, mine included) at one year. So really, you’re going to get through this.

Hang in there.

*This is absolutely not a sponsored post, but it is an honest plug for Method which you can find at Target, Amazon, Lowes, and Soap.com. (Home Eccers you can feel free to chime in with your favorite gentle dish detergents, too.)

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

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Iron Chef Pantry Clean Out: Tuesday Talk

Heather says:

Yesterday at lunch I couldn’t face another PB&J (for myself, I’ve really been a slacker lately, the kids eat way better than I have been). I opened up the cupboards and freezer -and yes, I could hear my mother fussing in my head- and stared, and stared, and stared.

I talk about menu planning all the time.

Heck, I’ve written a menu planning primer.

I also frequently recommend SayMmm.com and SavingDinner (Summer Menus), both are great tools if you just don’t have the mental bandwidth or time to create your own. (SayMmm creates shopping lists from your plans / chosen recipes and SavingDinner has complete menus with recipes and shopping lists.)

Still there are times when life just happens and you get off track.

I’ve written about that before, too:

I’m Overwhelmed

(reader question)
I Am Overwhelmed

(another reader question)


Overwhelmed by Mess

(sense a theme?)
Feeling Desperate

(If you’re new, I’ve updated a few times since this post, the woman who wrote the email is doing much better)


The Dangerous Comparison Game

(update – the kids will be going to public school this fall)

 

Where was I?

Oh, yeah, overwhelmed. In the past month I’ve been to Minnesota and back (23 hour drive there and ridiculously obnoxious flight home), upped my hours at the pub to nearly full-time, applied for jobs, and launched our home’s birthday season. And that’s enough and it’s okay that I’ve let things slide and become behind. It happens to everyone from time to time.

I’m working on getting my act back together. Are you?

Yesterday I decided to try to find my cooking mojo (have you seen it?) and I certainly did not want to head out into the ridiculous heat and humidity to go the grocery store. This limited me to what I could find in and around my house (the kids demanded a garden this spring, I planted a few herbs and said, “There, that’s all I can handle kiddos, happy?”  Now I’m kind of glad I did.

I grabbed a few handfuls of neglected basil and tossed them along with some walnuts and olive oil into the food processor, this is a trick I call poor man’s pesto as pine nuts are ridonkulously expensive. (If I had to do it over again, I would have done this step last as it oxidized quickly, but the flavor was fine.)

I dug into the freezer and found some meatballs and broccoli. In the pantry I found a box of pasta, a can of olives, and a can of artichoke hearts.

And it turns out that some of my best cooking happens when I have no plan and I wing it.

I’ve always wanted to do an Iron Chef Special, family style. I think the challenge should have random children running on set with insane demands, the chefs should have to fold at least one load of laundry, unload the dishwasher, and convince a child to set the table. Additionally, at some point during the challenge someone should use up a critical ingredient -perhaps an inconsiderate teen will walk by and drink the last of the milk or someone will have put back an empty egg carton -why?! I ask, why?! Or maybe the garlic will have sprouted. The bonus challenge? Unexpected company with some health claim: lactose intolerant, gluten free, won’t eat green food (we all know some people have legitimate dietary needs and others are just a pain in the butt).

I think that would be way more entertaining than watching chefs with every tool and ingredient on hand.

What do you do when you’re overwhelmed by life and trying to get back on track? (I’m heading to the grocery store later today, don’t worry).

 

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This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011

How to Clean Stained Marble

Dear Home-Ec 101,

We just bought a house, and the fireplace is surrounded by marble. It may be faux marble since most things in the house are builder-grade materials. Anyway, the marble surround is stained. There are blotches of yellow above and Kool-aid type stains on the hearth.

Any suggestions on how to clean the marble or faux marble?

BKF maybe? [*Heather notes BKF = Bar Keepers Friend and BKF is NOT recommended for marble]

Signed,

Stained in Stuttgart

Heather says:

As I noted in the question above, Bar Keepers Friend is NOT recommended for use on marble or cultured marble.

Marble is a soft stone and acids, like BKF, actually dissolve the stone. Does this mean if you use an acidic cleanser that your marble surface will immediately crumble away into a pile marble dust? No, it just means that you are slightly damaging the surface and over time this will show. Think about statues damaged by acid rain, same concept just on your fireplace mantle. Bar Keepers Friend would work to remove the stain, but it would be at the cost of damaging the finish of the marble.

Have you tried commercial marble cleaners? Yellowing of white marble is often a symptom of marble that has been cleaned improperly. Give a commercial cleaner and polish a try before moving on the method I recommend for the red stains on the hearth.

The Michigan University Extension recommends making a poultice with hydrogen peroxide -hair bleaching strength- and household ammonia. I recommend this technique for the Kool-aid or fruit juice stains that are on the hearth. Keep in mind that the peroxide IS a weak acid, it has a pH of 6.2, but compare that to distilled vinegar which has a pH around 2.4. (Remember that the pH scale is similar to a Richter scale in that it is logarithmic, there is a BIG difference between these numbers).

Good luck and let me know know if works for you.

Submit your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

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Rubbing Alcohol Fumes, Bed Bugs, and Carpet Beetles

Dear Home Ec 101,

I was wondering if anyone ever sprayed their vacuum (not the bag type, the cyclone type with plastic bin) thoroughly to kill any bugs. I’ve been professionally treated for bed bugs and carpet beetles (YUCK sign me mortified) and haven’t seen any, but am scared to death to use my vacuum or anything that might still harbor the creeps. Since 91% rubbing alcohol kills them, I was considering it.

But there’s the flammable aspect. I found nothing on line about anyone doing this, nor any safety searches turning up much on it either on the web.

Thank you if you’ve ever heard of this!

Signed,

Bugged in Burlington

Heather says:

First of all, I want to let you know that sometimes a bug infestation is what it is. Are you hoarding dirty dishes that have attracted a cockroach infestation? NO. Sometimes bugs are just a fact of life and not a reflection of your personal hygiene or lack thereof (Did you know lice actually prefer clean hair?). So take a deep breath and shake it off. You were just unlucky, no one here is judging or awarding the Home-Ec101 Seal of Disapproval.

The Michigan.gov website has a great resource on resolving a bedbug infestation. They do not recommend rubbing alcohol, in fact they just recommend using a detergent and hot water to clean up areas that may have come in contact or be a surface upon which bedbug eggs may lurk.

So, go ahead and clean out your canister and give it a thorough cleaning with detergent and hot water. If you would feel better using rubbing alcohol be aware that the air and dust whirling around inside the canister does provide a possibility of creating a stray spark via static electricity. Allow all of the rubbing alcohol fumes to dissipate before using the vacuum.

From the research I did, it would appear that it takes a combination (and this is NOT an official recommendation, I haven’t had coffee yet and need to think and do more research) of rubbing alcohol and borax is suggested to treat for carpet beetles. Like bedbugs, simply cleaning the canister of your vacuum after EVERY use should be sufficient to ensure you are through the worst of this infestation headache.

I hate that you had to deal with carpet beetles and bed bugs, but hopefully the worst is behind you and you can get back to everyday life.

Good luck!

reference: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/Bed_Bug_Manual_v1_full_reduce_326605_7.pdf

Send your domestic queries to helpme@home-ec101.com

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Dry BBQ Rub for Pork Ribs #DibsonmyRibs Contest, Recipes, and Suggestions

Heather says:

Pork spare ribs cooked low and slow on the grill -whether propane or charcoal–  are one of the great joys of summer. I’m currently in Erhard, MN visiting family; and for yesterday’s special occasion I made three kinds of ribs: my rib rub, McCormick’s Sweet & Smoky Rub, and for the youngest in the crowd Kraft Honey BBQ. I’m not in my own kitchen; and I’m not exactly at a place where running to the store is convenient. (Yes, Fergus Falls isn’t that far away, but I’m in a cabin and technically this is my vacation, so cut me some slack. Just be glad I’m cooking, and not making the minions forage for gooseberries and fish for their own dinner from the lake.). I really did like the Sweet & Smoky Rub; and recommend it for those not willing to make their own. I read the ingredients, and other than their inclusion of cinnamon and pepper, it really isn’t that far off from mine.

McCormick asked that the ribs be Tyson spare ribs; but the person sent to the store returned with back ribs and I honestly do my best to be a gracious guest. Read this post if you want to learn about different types of ribs. The cooking style for back ribs, baby back, ribs, and spare ribs is more or less the same.

Yesterday, while teasing on Twitter about this upcoming post, a friend had a specific question about cooking these ribs:

“@HeatherSolos Did you remove the membrane from that right rack? I’ve finally have a nice rub I like, but I’ll add cumin next time I make it.”

— Gregory Pittman (@gpittman) July 16, 2012

The short answer is no.  I do not remove the membrane when I cook ribs, as I cook them over a long period of time with a low and slow heat. When you cook in this manner, the proteins in the connective tissue (mostly collogen) dissolve rather than changing structure and becoming tough. Fast, high-heat cooking is one of the biggest reasons why some ribs come out tough and chewy. Repeat after me: “Low and slow is the way to go.” Do you need to boil ribs before cooking? My reccomendation is no, and feel free to read the whole post for the full explanation.

Before I get to the whole, “how to grill ribs” thing; I’ll share my latest version of the dry rub I’m making. (I have another version I use, it’s this sort of Memphis style dry rub recipe for ribs, but I’ve been tweaking it a bit and I’m not so sure we’re in Memphis any more, Toto.)

Dry Rub for Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients:

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup Paprika (for a twist on the flavor try roasted or toasting the paprika)
1/4 cup McCormick Chili Powder
1/4 cup McCormick Chopped Onions
2 TBSP Whole Coriander
2 TBSP McCormick Ground Cumin
1 TBSP McCormick Garlic Powder

Instructions:

Now take all of those ingredients, put them in a food processor or blender, and give it a whir.  I personally don’t care if some of the coriander seeds remain whole (look in the picture up there), but that’s definitely up to you.

Liberally cover your ribs, pork loin, or chicken with this rub before cooking as usual.

Store whatever is not cross-contaminated in an airtight container until the next time you crave spare ribs.

How to cook spare ribs on a gas grill:

 

BBQ enthusiasts will argue until the meat has dried out, died, and become inedible about the proper way to grill ribs.

NEVER cook your ribs over direct heat. (Do you remember the difference between direct and indirect grilling). Always have a thermometer for your grill, the goal is to try to treat the grill like an oven and keep the heat somewhere around 225°F -stay on the positive side of this, we want the meat out of the bacterial danger zone in a reasonable amount of time. Try not to open the grill often.  This makes the temperature fluctuate drastically, and increases the cooking time.

I always cook my ribs bone side up first, others insist on bone side down. My theory is that the melting fat works its way through the meat, acting as a marinade, while carrying the flavor of the rub and sauce with it. Remember, fat carries flavor. With the Kraft Honey BBQ sauce, I did not slather the meat side of the ribs until after they were nearly done. All told, the back ribs only took about two hours on the grill; but there were two factors that played into this shorter cook time. The gas grill was running a little hotter than 225°F, and I allowed the ribs to come almost up to room temperature before starting. Add another thirty minutes if your ribs are straight from the refrigerator; and longer if they aren’t fully thawed.  I turned and shuffled (rearranged so the ribs closest to the heat source were moved to the coolest spot) one time. If it had been spare ribs, it would have taken about another hour due to the size of the slabs

Do You Have a Rib Recipe?

You can enter the Dibs on My Ribs! Pork Recipe Cookoff Check out here for the full official guidelines, but here’s the quick and dirty:

All recipes must incorporate a minimum of three ingredients, including at leats one 5–rib portion of pork spareribs
At least one McCormick spice or seasoning product and at least one Kraft Foods BBQ Sauce (unless you are submitting a rub-based recepie, in which case you are not required to use a sauce)
Your recipe must be categorized as indoor or outdoor cooking
You must have a name for your recipe. Your name may not include any person’s or brand name (ie my above recipe couldn’t be Heather’s Magnificently Awesome-tastic Rib Rub, nor Home-Ec 101 Rib Rub) You can use the co-sponsor’s brand names in the recipe. McCormick’s Awesome Rib Rub would work just fine
The recipe cannot be previously published, awaiting publication, or submitted for publication.
Your pork spare ribs must be served as spareribs, they cannot be chopped, shredded, or served in any way unrecognizable as pork spareribs.
You cannot be a professional chef or enrolled in culinary school to become a chef.
You must be a resident of the United States (Other exclusions apply, read the full rules).

What prizes are involved?

How about a year supply of groceries; and the opportunity to attend the Memphis in May BBQ Event in Memphis, TN in May of 2013? (How cool would that be?)

The contest ends August 12, 2012 at 11:59pm EDT. Whee! Good luck!

This post was sponsored as part of the #DibsonmyRibs campaign. All opinions are my own, e specially the persnickety ones on the specific ways to cook ribs, your mileage may vary. No children were harmed in the production of this post, although patience may have become frayed on all parts, as swimming was significantly delayed.

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Ribs: Beef, Pork, Country-Style, Baby back, Spare, or Short

Dear Home Ec 101,

You mentioned ribs and I want to try to make some, but I get overwhelmed at the butcher shop. What ribs are best for what cooking style? Can you explain different types of ribs?

Signed,

New Age Girl

Heather says:

Absolutely, beef or pork depends solely on your preference, just keep in mind that beef ribs are larger and meatier-here’s where you say, “Duh, Heather cows are bigger than pigs.” To which I counter with, “You should see what people Google to land on Home-Ec 101,” I’m learning you cannot over-explain anything. Humor me.

Now here’s a handy chart that will help you visualize what I’m trying to explain:

Country style ribs may or may not contain bones and are cut from the blade end of the pork loin and personally I find the amount of fat makes these difficult to eat. I don’t advise serving these for a fancy occasion. Have plenty of napkins on hand, but do know that the fat helps keep the meat tender and moist. Country style ribs are most often braised.

Baby back ribs are cut from the center and blade portion of the pork loin and are quite lean. Generally you want to remember the idea of low and slow with baby back ribs for the most tender results. These ribs generally have a lot of connective tissue and heating too quickly will cause those proteins to denature and become tough, but slow heating can circumvents that process. Smoking or slow roasting baby back ribs is the way to go,  follow this up with a quick finish on the grill or under the broiler make these some of my favorites.

Spare ribs owe their name to how they used to be prepared, on a stick or spear, and over time and translations this became spare. Some people counter that theory with the idea that the name references the spare or extra meat on the belly side of the ribs. Do we care that much? I don’t. Spare ribs are cut from the lower portion of the ribs, just above the belly. Generally there is a little more fat on spare ribs which can yield more tender results.  Stick with the same preparation style as baby back ribs.

Here’s my favorite method: Memphis Style Dry Rubbed Pork Spareribs.

Rib tips are usually contain only cartilage (and meat) rather than bone and are cut from -wait for it- the tips of the ribs.

Short ribs are always beef ribs and generally a couple of inches thick, sometimes the meat is cut into chunks with only one rib per piece. Here’s a recipe for beer braised short ribs, it’s a little different from your usual tomato based bbq sauce. If that’s what you’re after, this is my favorite tomato based bbq sauce for beef ribs.

Finally, you may be saying, but everyone says I should boil my ribs.

Questions?

Send your questions to helpme@home-ec101.com.

 

 

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This is a post from: Home-Ec101 ©Home-Ec 101.com 2007 - 2011