Pork ribs can be extremely tender and full of flavor, especially when cooked over low heat for several hours. We have tried many different styles of pork ribs over the years from many different places around the world, but this Spanish recipe that uses smoked paprika as its primary seasoning was quite delicious. It is very simple and rustic, but it can certainly be modified to use some additional ingredients like other root vegetables, peppers, or even tomatoes. It would also be equally good with chicken as it was with the pork ribs.
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs Pork Ribs
1 Yellow Onion – chopped
3 Garlic Cloves – crushed and chopped
1 1/2 Potatoes – either fingerling or russet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch peices
1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Simmering the Ribs and Potatoes
INSTRUCTIONS
Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil to medium-high heat and add the ribs. Brown the ribs on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, then remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, being sure to scrape up any “brown bits” from the ribs as you move the onion around the pan. Return the ribs to the pan, add the potatoes, sprinkle with the paprika as well as more salt and pepper and stir around to mix. Cover the with enough hot water to cover the ribs, bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat. Continue cooking at a low simmer for about an hour and a half until the pork is tender and falling off the bone. Enjoy!
Brown the RibsSauté the Onions and GarlicSprinkle with PaprikaSpanish Pork Ribs and Potatoes
We don’t cook baby back ribs that often, but when we do, we usually do a wet marinade. This time we decided to try our hands at creating a Memphis style rub for a change of pace and it turned out quite delicious. We cooked the ribs on the grill, but we didn’t put them directly on the rack, but instead used a foil-lined baking sheet. They turned out to be moist and tender with just enough spice to have a little zing. The rub is something that could be used on different types of meat such as pork or chicken as well. We matched it with a Southwestern Pasta Salad that we’ll share the recipe for next week.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 Rack of Baby Back Ribs – membrane removed
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Paprika (we used a hot paprika, but smoked paprika is fine)
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper or to taste
1/4 tsp All-Spice
1 tbsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all of the spices in a bowl. Using your hands, rub the ribs generously with the spice mixture. Let the ribs marinade in the rub for 2 to 4 hours in order to let the flavors absorb into the meat. Heat a grill to a medium-low heat, about 325 degrees. Place the ribs, bone-side down, on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with a non-stick spray. Set the baking sheet onto the grill and close the lid, keeping the heat around 325 degrees. After 10 minutes, flip the ribs to meat-side down. After another 10 minutes flip the ribs back to bone-side down. Cook another 10 minutes and remove from the grill. Let the ribs rest for about 5 minutes, then cut into individual ribs and serve.
Memphis Style RubRibs with RubBarbequed Baby Back RibsRibs with Pasta Salad
We spent the weekend in Denver where we went to the 2nd annual Denver BBQ Festival. With 11 different pit masters, live music, cooking demonstrations, beer and drinks, as well as games for the family, it was definitely a fun time. Entrance is free and you can purchase items that you want or you can purchase a VIP pass that allows you to eat and drink all that you want. We chose to get the VIP pass so that we could try as many different barbeque options as possible. There were pit masters from all over the country including Kansas City, St. Louis, New York, Nashville, Texas, and Colorado.
Leg of Lamb with Peppers
Food Being Prepped
Cooking Demonstration
Tender Ribs and Baked Beans
Pulled Pork and a Loaded Potato Salad
If you are a fan of barbecued food, this event is certainly for you. With choices that include leg of lamb, ribs, chicken, brisket, pork belly, whole hog, pork chops, and lamb ribs, there are options for every type of food lover. It wasn’t just about the meat, though, as there were side dishes that include baked beans, potato salad, carrot and raisin salad, bloody Mary salad, and, of course, coleslaw. To be clear, although we tasted just about everything that there was, we certainly did not sit down and eat full portions from each of the food stations. Even with just tasting small samples from each of the pit masters, we still had more than enough food to make us full.
Different Bands Throughout the Day
Tender Beef Brisket
Serving the Large Crowds
Mini-Taco
Chicken Wing and Coleslaw
We think that beer pairs really well with barbeque, but there were many options available to drink. From mixed drinks made with Jack Daniel’s whiskey and Tito’s vodka to make margaritas, as well as non-alcoholic drinks, no one was going thirsty. It was a hot day, so an ice-cold beer certainly hit the spot and we chose to have a Colorado Lager from Odell’s Brewery. The festival took place in the parking lot of Mile High Stadium and it was certainly a very popular event.
Ice-Cold Beer
Sausage and Brisket
Getting the Food Out
Looking Out Over the Festival
Ribs with a Dry Rub and a Sauce
It is hard to choose a favorite with all of the different dishes that we tried, but there was a beef brisket from Pappy’s Smokehouse that was so tender that it fell apart. The leg of lamb from Sugar Fire Smokehouse was also wonderful. The pork belly from Joe’s KC BBQ was one of the first things that we tasted and also one of our favorites. And finally, the ribs from Peg Leg Porker BBQ were definitely worth eating again and again. That doesn’t mean that we didn’t enjoy everything that we tried, including those from Salt Lick BBQ, GQue BBQ, The Shed, Ubon’s BBQ, Memphis BBQ, and Jean-Paul Bougeois.
Lamb Ribs and Carrots and Raisins
People Lining Up
Chicken and Bloody Mary Salad
Salmon, Slaw, and Guacamole
Pork Belly and Pork Rinds
We will definitely put this on our calendar for next year. There isn’t a better way to spend a summer afternoon than eating delicious barbeque, drinking a beer, listening to music, and getting grilling advice from the experts. The Denver BBQ Festival is certainly an event that is fun for the whole family.
