homemade Spareribs
red_lion wrote:
What makes a good meal on the trail? It must be simple, easy to set up and, most of all, tasty. So I go for ...
Spareribs with fresh salad, the way we do it in Luxembourg.
You need for one adults with healthy appetite 3 lbs or 1.5kg of spareribs without skin if you don't do the salad.
The day before you go prepare them.
Wash them and dry them off with kitchen paper. Cut them slightly in so the marinade can soak in. For the marinade you need
1 large ognion for each 2 lbs of ribs, cut into slices
2 gloves of fresh garlic
2 chilis
4 spoons of Soja sauce (you will not taste this later)
4 spoons of brown sugar
1 can of beer
1 spoon of paprika
1 small spoon of Cayenne peper
1 small spoon of salt
1 small spoon of Oregano
1 small spoon of Thyme (dried or better fresh)
1 small spoon of pepper
a bit of Tabaso if not hot enough yet
Toss all in a blender and mix it just a short time so you can still see chunks
Fill everything in a plastic bag and leave it in the fridge overnight. This is important as the marinade will tender the meat over time. You can even leave it in the fridge for 24-36 hours.
Prepare the rub for the ribs:
take 2 spoons of the following: Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, garlic powder, ognion powder, salt, Cayenne pepper
6 spoons of brown sugar, 6 spoons of mild paprika powder (The paprika adds color, the sugar makes for the crisp skin. You will not taste the sugar later)
In the morning take out the ribs from the bag, dry them with paper towels, then rub them with the powder mix.
Do not trow away the marinade.
If you have time enough put the ribs on a hot barbecue for 10 minutes on each side so they get dark brown. They will not be done yet however.
Put them in an iron pot that just fits under your bonnet over the exhaust. Put in the ribs and the marinade, then make sure the lid can't come off, wire it shut. They will be done after 2 or 3 hours of trail driving. If you do this on a barbecue at home you can grill the ribs and spread marinade every 10 minutes or so on the ribs. Total time is then 2 - 3 hours until they are done. They are good when you pick in with a fork and can separate the bones without using a knife or a second fork.
As a sidedish we like a nice salad, for 2 people you need
1 head of Lettuce. Clean it and remove the stems. Wash and dry it.
3 ripe tomatoes cut into quarters
1 ognion, cut into slices
3 eggs, cooked for 8 minutes and cut into quarters
a small pack of bacon. Toss it in a medium hot pan shortly until slightly crisp, let it cool down before adding to the salad.
Put all this in a large Tupperware box. Do NOT add the dressing yet as it would soften the salad.
Dressing for the salad:
4 spoons of oil
3 spoons of vinegar
2 spoons of Mayonnaise, Mayonnaise and mustard makes the dressing thicker
1 spoon of mustard
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
Put the dressing in a shaker and add it only 5 minutes before serving.
With this a french baguette is ideal.
Don't try to do any physical effort after this meal.
Any feedback is appreciated.
Alain
red_lion wrote:
Sorry to have to add this but forgot...
Best for "cooking" in the engine compartment on the exhaust is an old steel steam cooker, the type where you have a screw-on lid. It will take a beating so try to find one at a garage sale - a small one or it won't fit.
And of course you must add fresh cheese to the salad. A good handful of swiss cheese, cut into 1/8" thick slices, then into sticks or pieces. Must be large enough to chew, not just swallow. Do not use pre-cut cheese, it always tastes like plastic. You can also spread some gratted Parmesan over it just before serving.
Alain