The Ultimate Baby Backribs & Country Green Beans

The kids may be back in school, but at the dinner table, I’m still celebrating summertime!  This week it’s tender and smokey glazed baby back ribs and maple-bacony Country Style Green Beans.  Toss in a few few ears of Musso’s Peaches and Cream Pueblo Sweetcorn, a whole wheat baguette from local Trompeau bakery (available at Tony’s) and a cold glass of local beer (or wine) and you are singing my favorite summery suppertime song!

This first video is my sure-fire way to make great ribs every time – without a smoker!  Here I oven-braise with Claude’s Brisket marinade for tenderness and smoky flavor.  Then a sweet BBQ rub, a sizzle on the grill and finally glazed with a fabulous sauce (or keep the sauce on the side for the purists!)  Great for a party because you can braise days in advance and then grill and serve in minutes.  Get the recipe near the bottom of the page, there’s even a variation for the oven.

In this second video we’re making the best darn green beans you’ve ever tasted!  I start by sauteing sweet Colorado Onions (Vidalia Onions grown in Pueblo by Carl Musso – in our markets now) with our sweet Applewood Smoked Maple Bacon.  Next add a little garlic, some low sodium roasted chicken stock and Musso’s fresh local green beans, simmer uncovered until tender as the stock turns into a rich, sweet onion and maple-bacony sauce.  Green beans just don’t get any better.  Recipe follows.

Country Style Green Beans w/ Bacon2 pounds green beans, snipped
10-12 slices Tony’s Apple Wood-smoked Bacon, chopped
1 yellow or white onion
4-6 garlic cloves, bruised
water or light stock

Snip ends from green beans, wash well and set aside.

Cut bacon slices across length at ¼ inch thick, slice onion, and bash garlic cloves to bruise. Sauté these three together until the onions are tender. Add green beans and enough water or light stock just to cover and bring to a simmer.

Reduce until the water is almost gone; adding splashes of water if needed to get beans fully cooked – ideally the beans will be tender when the water or stock is almost gone. Season to taste with salt, pepper and butter. Serve immediately. – Chef Mick (Michaelangelo) Rosacci, Tony’s Market
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The Ultimate BBQ Pork Ribs

3-5 lbs of pork Baby Back or Country ribs
3/4 cup Claude’s BBQ Brisket Sauce (optional, adds smoky flavor)
1-2 packs Tony’s Smoky Southern BBQ Rub
-or Tony’s Kansas City Hickory or Texas Mesquite Rub
Tony’s Sweet and Sassy BBQ Sauce
-or Tony’s Bold and Smoky or Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce

Cut baby back ribs into 3-4 rib segments (not necessary for Country Ribs) and place in a plastic bag – marinate for at least 5 minutes, or up to 6 hours for extra smoky flavor.

When ready to braise, toss ribs in marinade and place both in the bottom of a baking pan, add water to 1 inch deep, cover tightly and roast in a 325 degree oven for 60-90 minutes, cooking to desired tenderness. Test by tugging on a bone – the longer they cook the more tender they will be. Can be refrigerated at this point and grilled up to 3 days later.

Grill Method: Preheat grill – preferably an indirect fire with wood chunks or chips. (See Notes*) Brush ribs with pan sauce and sprinkle/rub generously with Tony’s Smoky Southern (or other) BBQ Rub. Carefully brown with indirect heat (if using low to medium direct heat, watch for flare ups). Once the ribs are sizzling and lightly browned, begin brushing with BBQ sauce (some folks prefer to leave them dry and dip into sauce at the table) glazing on one or several layers of sauce as desired. Serve with more sauce.

Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375°. Brush ribs with pan sauce and sprinkle generously with your favorite Tony’s Smoky BBQ Rub. Place on a sheet pan and roast in the top of the oven until sizzling and lightly browned. Brush with BBQ sauce and rotate in oven to glaze – repeat several times to create a thick layer of glaze and heat through. Convection fan can be used for quicker browning and glazing, if desired. Serve with more sauce. Serves 3-6 people.

* To build an indirect fire, heat only one side of the grill with high heat and the other with very low to no heat for an air temperature between 325-400°. Adding soaked wood chips in a metal chip pan under cooking grate will add even more smoky flavor for gas grills. On a charcoal grill, sprinkle coals with soaked chips regularly, or fire larger chunks of hardwood with or in place of charcoal.