Pork Rules

One last relaxed lounge style bbq is exactly what we needed before the weather suddenly turned so chill. Too chill too quickly, imo. However, the bbq was all deliciousness with happy imbibing of beer, margaritas, and wine. Thanks to Allison for hosting the brilliant get together.

I thought it as my chance to actually grill something this season besides that Lucques pork burger I had made in the heat of the summer. One of my favorite foods ever being bbq pork ribs, I decided that would be perfect. But you can't have ribs without no sides! Dur.

The Sunday Suppers at Lucques cookbook is seriously glorious. I don't think I've ever made anything from there I didn't like. Which is why I would also trust it with its cornbread recipe. I did have a taste of this cornbread at Lucques before so I knew it would be perfect. The recipes calls for some honey and brown butter - delicious!

I wrapped my cornbread with bacon with plans to grill them. Instead, with the delay of the delivery of the grill from A's generous neighbor, I roasted it for a bit in the oven so that the bacon would melt over the cornbread. The bacon didn't melt as perfectly as I envisioned in my bacon-crazed mind but it was delicious, and oh so beautiful, served with a dollop of mustard-creme fraiche.

I also made a batch of no recipe coleslaw. A good dollop of mayo, sour cream, thinly sliced red onion, fresh lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne, and it was deeemed "the best coleslaw" ever by a few advocates. Creamy, crunchy, refreshing - it's what your mouth needs in between bites of bbq pork ribs.



Now for the ribs... this being my real true first rib ever, I was very proud of how it turned out. I brined two racks of pork ribs (Trader Joe's) overnight. Then dry rubbed it and let it marinated for a lil bit. Preferably couple hours but I didn't have a lot of time. Then wrapped up in foil I baked them in the oven for an hour or so. Then onto the grill they went.

I don't recall exactly how long they were on the grill but enough to get some of the fat to melt and the spices to crust up a bit on the surface. In the last ten minutes I basted it lightly with a spicy bbq sauce I got from Huntington Meats. Oh man, it was so juicy and flavorful. Of course if I had smoked it would be a more delicious and authentic. But one step at a time. :) Needless to say, it was ravaged. And my mouth is watering right now writing about it.

Pork rules.



My dessert offering was a simple arranged one with Trader Joe's lemon pound cake, mascarpone, and roasted figs with saba.