Thai Style Baby Back Ribs With Smashed Cucumber Salad Recipes

THAI STYLE BABY BACK RIBS (WITH SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the ribs on a large baking sheet and season with salt and pepper and. Pour 1 cup of water into the baking sheet, and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 2 hours, until the meat nearly falls off the bone
• Prepare your grill to medium high. When the rib racks come out of the oven, let them cool for 20 minutes and then cut them into individual ribs. In a large bowl combine all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Divide in half (place half on the side for drizzling) and toss the other half with the ribs to coat. Transfer the coated ribs on the grill and char for 5-7 minutes total. Sprinkle with extra basil and serve.
• For the Cucumber Salad
• Gently smack cucumbers with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pot until they begin to break apart. Tear into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a colander; toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit 10 minutes to drain excess liquid.
• In a medium bowl whisk the scallions, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds and chili flakes. Add the smashed cucumbers. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and top with cilantro.

THAI-STYLE BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Build a fire in your grill; when the coals are all covered with gray ash and the temperature is medium-low (you can hold your hand 5 inches above the coals for 7 seconds), you're ready to cook. (For a gas grill, turn all burners to high, lower cover and heat for 15 minutes, then turn burners to medium-low.)
• Sprinkle the ribs generously with salt and pepper, place them on the grill directly over the coals, and cook until a peek inside shows that the meat no longer has any pink at the center, about 10 to 12 minutes per side.
• When the rib racks come off the grill, cut them into individual ribs and place in a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients, toss to coat, season with more salt and pepper if needed, and serve.

THAI-STYLE BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Place ribs in a large, shallow dish; set aside. In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, cilantro, peanut oil, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, lemongrass, sugar, ginger, and sesame oil. Pour over ribs, turning to coat. Refrigerate, covered, overnight, turning occasionally.
• To cook ribs in oven: Remove ribs from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Line a shallow roasting pan with a rack; set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees, placing a rack in the lower and top thirds of the oven. Place a second roasting pan half full of water in the bottom third of the oven. Remove ribs from marinade, and reserve excess marinade. Place ribs on rack in roasting pan. Place ribs in the top third of the oven. Bake, basting occasionally with reserved marinade, until the meat begins to pull away from the bone, the bone tips are exposed, and the internal temperature of the thickest part is 155 degrees, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove ribs from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into individual pieces. Serve with dipping sauce.
• To cook ribs using a charcoal grill: Remove ribs from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. To preheat a covered grill, light a mound of twenty to thirty briquettes on one side of the grate, and open the bottom vents fully. Place a roasting pan filled with 2 inches of water on the other side of the grate. The pan will catch the drippings, and the water will provide moist heat to tenderize the meat. Place four or five chunks of hardwood charcoal directly on the coals.
• When the coals are ready, place a rack over them. Remove ribs from marinade, and reserve excess marinade. Place the ribs on the rack over the water; no meat should be directly over the coals. Cover, making sure lid vents are opposite the ribs and half open (this draws the smoke over the ribs). Place an instant-read thermometer into the top vent hole; it should read between 200 degrees to 250 degrees. The temperature should never exceed 300 degrees. If the temperate is too high, partially close the lower vent. Regulate the temperature during cooking by adjusting the lower vent. Turn and baste the ribs with the reserved marinade every 45 minutes, making sure that you alternate the exposure of the ribs to the hotter edge near the coals. Cook until ribs begin to pull away from the bone, the bone tips are exposed, and the internal temperature of the thickest part is 155 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Baste ribs with dipping sauce, turning frequently to prevent the sugar in the sauce from burning. Cook for an additional 4 minutes per side. Allow ribs to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into individual pieces. Serve with dipping sauce.