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Country Rib Dinner

Source of Recipe

“Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes and Honest Fried Chicken”


Recipe Introduction

This is a great cookbook by Ronni Lundy. It’s full of stories and great recipes. This is a wonderful country meal! I serve it with red cabbage. I also add a chopped apple with the sweet potatoes. You must serve this with cornbread! Ronni Lundy says, “…be sure to serve it to friends who aren’t bashful about digging in to juicy food with fingers as well a forks.” Good advice!

List of Ingredients

3 ½ lb. country-style ribs
1 T. olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 T. flour
1 ½ c. apple juice
1 ½ c. warm water
1 T. molasses
1 t. rosemary
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
4 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, halved
1 medium peeled onion, quartered



Recipe

Trim excess fat from the ribs, but not so much that you lose any of the meat. Heat a heavy Dutch oven – preferably cast iron – over a medium flame, then add olive oil and the peeled garlic clove split in half. Shake clove in pan (so it doesn’t burn) until it is light brown and the oil is well scented with garlic. Remove clove and set aside. Brown ribs a few at a time in the oil, then set aside, returning any drippings to the pan.

Turn flame to low and brown the T. of flour in the drippings, adding a bit more oil if necessary. Slowly stir in apple juice to make smooth gravy.

Dissolve molasses in warm water and add to the gravy.

Add rosemary, salt and pepper and stir well. Lay halved, unpeeled sweet potatoes in the sauce along with onions, and garlic clove, then lay ribs over the top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour [it can take me up to another 45 minutes to get them as tender as I like]. Remove ribs and potatoes to serving plate and reduce sauce over medium flame, stirring constantly, until thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. The sauce is great for dipping the ribs in, or spooned over slabs of hot cornbread.

Serves 4 – 6.