#11 BBQ Ribs and French Fries

Whatever country you visit or read about, you learn that there is a signature dish. There is some meal or food that the country claims as its own. For example, Argentina is known for their steak, Mexico for its tacos, tortas ahogadas and pozole to name a few while people from around the world love fish and chips in England.

When people ask me what a signature dish is from the States I often struggle with an answer. Growing up in the Midwest we ate a lot of meat and potatoes and things called "hotdishes" (Known to the rest of the world as "casseroles"). While I remain without an answer for the signature dish of the US of A, my Peruvian boyfriend is convinced that the answer is BBQ ribs. And with that meal at the forefront of his mind, he has been drooling for some BBQ ribs. And so it is that when I started this blogging adventure through new recipes three months ago, he began earnestly begging me to make some BBQ ribs.

So fellow chefs, here you have this week's recipe. It was all really yummy, even if I'm not a fan of fighting a bone to get my meat (That's when the Peruvian novio came in handy as he volunteered to cut my meat for me. And yes, after sweating in the little kitchen slaving away all afternoon, I gladly obliged and let him cut it for me.) And honestly, the french fries were dangerously tasty, so watch out, it's a good menu this week.

BBQ Ribs

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork ribs

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp salt

1 cup of BBQ sauce (I used Tomy Romo's original sauce)

Directions

1. Place ribs in a large pot with enough water to cover. Season with garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Bring water to a boil, and cook ribs until tender.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)

3. Remove ribs from pot, and place them in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour BBQ sauce over ribs. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)

French Fries

Ingredients

2 pounds potatoes, peeled

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp garlic salt

2 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1/2 cup water, or as needed

1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

1. Slice potatoes into French fries.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, sift the flour, garlic salt, salt, and paprika into a large bowl. Gradually stir in enough water so that the mixture can be drizzled from a spoon.

3. Dip potato slices into the batter one at a time, and plae in the hot oil so they are not touching at first. The fries must be placed into the skillet one at a time, or they will clump together. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Buen Provecho!

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