The Bride Is In Beantown, So....

It's rib time!  Once again, I am reminded that cooking/eating for one is a challenge, but it does have its benefits.  I can eat whatever I fancy, without having to consider another's opinion.  I have been craving ribs for a while, thus I seized this opportunity to indulge.  I started with the Baby Back Ribs With Spiced Apple-Cider Mop on page 154.

The first step with ribs is to always remove the membrane on the back of bones.  Consider it a flavor barrier, especially with smoke.  I also do not like its texture when it is left on the rack.

The recipe simply calls for salt and pepper.  The rest of the flavoring was to come from the mop.

Speaking thereof, you start by simmering the apple cider, shallots, and jalapeno until it is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, mix together the rest of the mop ingredients.  

Add them in, bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat.  Here I have poured them out of the saucepan and back into my recently washed mixing bowl.

I know I have shown you this before, but for any new readers out there, when it comes to BBQ mops, I have options!  Considering the texture of this mop sauce, I went with the one all the way to the right.

As much as I love a good meat-fest, I figured I should make some sort of side dish, and I wanted to make a side that I knew The Bride would be less than keen towards, so I selected the Spicy Maple Baked Beans on page 374.

This looked simple enough; start by sauteing onions.

Once they brown, add in the ham steak.

The ribs came off looking pretty nice.  It started to rain, so I pulled them a few minutes early, but they were showing the signs of completion.  The meat hadn't retracted the preferred three-quarter inch, but I could tell from the texture that the fibers were fully cooked.   For the record, I had mopped about every fifteen minutes.

You are supposed to cook the beans in the saucepan on the grill over indirect heat.  I didn't want to put my nice new saucepan in The Forge, so I went for the indirect heat in the oven instead.

I was a little too excited to start eating this meal, so I forgot the final plating shot.  Oh well.  The ribs were pretty good, but I really didn't get any apple notes out of them.  Apple and pork are natural partners, but here it as more of a solo act.  I definitely picked up on the high sugar level from the mop, which gave the exterior of the ribs a nice crunch from the caramelization, as well as a fun (and somewhat mandatory) stickiness. 

The beans, however, were a failure.  Honestly, they can best be described as tasting like moderately-spiced, maple-flavored refried beans.  They were disappointing.  From a texture standpoint they were offputting, and from a flavor standpoint they were heading in too many non-unified directions.  Harmony was lacking, and the overall flavor seemed confused.  I know they may have benefited from a little smoke flavor from being cooked in The Forge, but it would not have saved this dish.  To be honest, my baked beans thoroughly trump them.  I'm pretty sure my golfing/BBQ buddies would agree.