I wanted a tender, flavorful, moist rib with a complex smokey flavor and a slight crust. Check, check, check and check. Mmmmm, baby these are goooood eatin’!

Preparation:
You’ll need to make the bbq sauce the day before. See the recipe.
Soak wood chips in water for at least 1 hour before use.
Make a fire in your grill for indirect cooking and make sure it is ready to go soon after the ribs are done simmering.

Ingredients:
1 slab of ribs
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, smashed (see this video for easy peeling)
1 cinnamon stick, broken in two
a pinch of ground cloves
a pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper, roughly ground.
water
bbq sauce #2

Directions:
1. Place onion, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper in bottom of large pan.
2. Place ribs on top of spices.
3. Cover ribs with water.
4. Simmer ribs in covered pan for 1-1/2 to two hours until tender. Meat should have pulled back from the bones about 1 inch.
5. Drain ribs and place directly over fire for a few minutes per side.
6. Move ribs to indirect heat in grill and coat with bbq sauce.
7. Drain wood chips and place on coals.
8. Allow to smoke for about 15 minutes.
9. Serve with bbq sauce for dippin’.

Notes:
Simmering can either be done on the stove top or in a 350 degree F. oven.
Simmering adds complex flavor to the meat itself and makes it tender and moist. Direct cooking on the grill gives it a slight crust.
For instructions on smoking with a gas grill, see this video.

Video:
How to smash garlic.

For more of my videos, including higher quality versions, visit my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/eatingSCD

Guiding principals: tangy, sweet, spicy, smokey, complex. Great on everything, but made for the ribs.

Ingredients:
(2) 46 oz cans tomato juice (only salt added) OR fresh tomatoes: see notes below
1-1/2 cup white vinegar
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp sweet hungarian paprika or better yet, smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground chipoltle pepper
2 tsp salt
2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
12 cloves garlic, smashed (see this video for easy peeling)
1 Tbs liquid smoke (see note below)
1-1/2 cups honey
and maybe 1 tablespoon Tabasco Hot sauce (the original red only)

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients, except for honey, liquid smoke and Tabasco in a large pot.
2. Simmer for hours and hours until very thick, stirring occasionally, more so as it thickens.
3. Add honey and simmer another 30 minutes, stirring more frequently to prevent burning.
4. Remove bay leaves.
5. Taste and add Tobasco Hot sauce if you see fit.
6. Add liquid smoke.
7. Transfer to a blender and puree well.

Yields about 3 pints

Notes:
To substitute fresh tomatoes for canned juice, use six pounds, cored and skinned. See the videos below.
The initial simmering will take 6-8 hours.
Halving the recipe will halve your simmer time.
Adding the liquid smoke in the beginning can greatly diminish it’s flavor so it’s better to add it at the end when the simmering is done.

Regarding liquid smoke: I use Wright’s Hickory or Mesquite Liquid Smoke. The labels list no illegal ingredients. I emailed the company to be sure and they confirmed the legality. Find the exchange below.

My inquiry:

I am on an extremely strict diet that does not allow me to have any forms
of refined sugars, gums or starches.

Do either your hickory or mesquite liquid smoke products contain any forms
or refined sugar, gum or starch?

Thank your for your help.

Sincerely,
Paul Stocker

Their reply:

Dear Mr. Stocker,

Wright’s Liquid Smoke is a natural product that gives foods a charcoal broiled taste.

It is made from hickory wood that is burned in an enclosed unit.
As the smoke rises it is captured in a condenser, allowing the smoke to cool.
The cooled smoke forms water droplets (condensation).
The condensation droplets are collected in a pan, filtered and placed in 55 gallon drums.  The drums are taken to the production filling location where it is filtered for a second time and transferred to the filling line.
The bottles are filled, capped and labeled.  They are then placed into shipping cases ready for distribution.

It contains no salt, carbohydrates, sugars, gum, starches, food additives, colorings or carcinogens. It is designated “natural” by the FDA.

—

Some other liquid smoke brands do contain illegals so read carefully.

Here’s an article on Slashfood about liquid smoke.

In the interest of full disclosure it should be noted that the gold standard for investigating a processed food as set forth by Elaine Gottschall is to get a physical letter from the company on official letterhead with a person’s title and signature. By this measure, my investigation fails as I conducted it by email. Given this specific product and that most communication now takes place electronically, I am personally comfortable with the validity of the email exchange. You will have to decide for yourself where your comfort lies.

If you want to omit the liquid smoke, but keep the smoke flavor, two options come to mind:

• Increase the smoked paprika
• Smoke some onions or other vegetable on your grill and use them in the sauce (Thanks to Marilyn on the BTVC-SCD group for this suggestion).

Video:
How to smash garlic.

This short video shows you how to remove the skins from tomatoes.

Making ketchup from scratch. Same method, slightly different ingredients.

For more of my videos, including higher quality versions, visit my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/eatingSCD

Butter is the key to making this soup rich, warm and comforting. The tiny bits of spices add a complexity and earthiness that round out the feel good factor.

Ingredients:
1 lb. stew beef (my butcher regularly has this cut-up convenience ready to go)
1 lb. carrots, cut about 1/3 inch thick (or use baby carrots)
3/4 yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 quart hot water.
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed (see this video for easy peeling)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp. ground mustard
1/16 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/16 tsp. ground clove
1/2 tsp. dried parsley

Preparation:
Before you begin, Set a quart of water on to boil (I use a tea kettle). If it boils before you are ready to use it, turn off the heat and leave it covered.

Instructions:

1. In a dutch oven over medium high heat, saute the carrots and onions in 4 Tbsps. butter for 5-10 minutes or until they begin to brown.
2. Remove carrots and onions from pan to a covered bowl.
3. Saute beef for 3-5 minutes, until it begins to brown. Turn once and cook for 3-5 more minutes.
4. Remove beef from pan and put with carrots and onions in covered bowl.
5. Add about 1/8 inch of water to pan, scraping bottom of pan to release all the brownings. This is where your soup gets much of it’s flavor and all of it’s color so do a good job.
6. Add garlic and spices to pan and cook for another minute. Don’t let pan go dry!
7. Return carrots, onion and beef to pan and cover with 1 quart of hot water.
8. Simmer on medium for 35 minutes or until carrots and beef are done.
9. Taste soup and salt to taste. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter into soup.

Notes:
Yields about 6 cups.
Additional vegetables can be added such as mushroom. Just follow the same sauteing procedure.
Freezes well.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. flank steak, cut into thin strips, about 1/8 inch thick. (see note below)
Marinade
2 tsp liquid smoke (see note below)

Marinade:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup pineapple juice (see notes below)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil (dark color)
2 Tbsp honey
6 cloves garlic, flattened (see this video for easy peeling)
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp salt
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tsp ginger, ground
1/8 tsp cloves, ground

Directions:
1. Combine marinade ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, add 2-1/2 cups of cold water and liquid smoke.
3. Cool marinade completely before adding to meat in a 1 gallon freezer zip bag.
4. Remove as much air as possible from bag before sealing.
5. Refrigerate for 2-3 days before drying, kneading the bag once or twice a day.
6. Drain the meat in a colander for about 5 minutes.
7. Dry for 6-8 hours in your dehydrator on the meat setting.
8. Let cool completely then store in airtight container.

Will keep at room temperature for weeks.

Notes:
It is important to use the leanest meat possible as fat can lead to spoilage. Trim as much fat from your meat as possible before cutting into strips.

If you don’t drain your meat before putting it in the dehydrator, you will end up with a mess under your dehydrator as it drys.

Regarding pineapple juice: Commercial pineapple juice used to be legal, but is no longer so. See this post. Either make your own pineapple juice, substitute fresh orange juice or eliminate all together.

Regarding liquid smoke: I covered this somewhat controversial topic in my Barbecue Sauce #2 recipe notes. Be sure to review.

Ingredients:
1 lb raw almonds
1 large egg white + a pinch of salt
2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp homemade garlic powder
1/8 tsp chipotle powder
1/16 tsp ground cinnamon

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Dry roast almonds for 10 – 15 minutes or until their jackets start to split.
3. Allow almonds to cool completely.

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Whisk egg white with a pinch of salt till stiff peaks form.
3. Add salt, paprika, garlic powder, chipotle and cinnamon and whisk to combined.
4. Fold in almonds and toss till well coated.
5. Line a large pan with parchment paper and spread coated almonds one layer thick.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. When nuts are completely cool, store in an airtight container.

Keeps for months.

Yield: one pound.

This is my favorite candy. Your family and friends will love it too and won’t believe it’s from a “diet”. When you roughly chop these, they make for an excellent addition to a fresh salad.

Ingredients:
1 lb raw shelled pecan halves
3 large egg whites, preferably at room temperature
1 cup honey
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp additional unsalted butter, melted
salt

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. Roast pecans in a large pan in a single layer for 10 minutes.
3. Cool pecans completely before continuing recipe.

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 300° F.
2. Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until it reaches the stiff peak stage.
3. Add ginger, cinnamon and vanilla extract, mixing just to combine.
4. Slowly add honey.
5. Continue mixing just until combined.
6. Fold in cooled pecans.
7. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter on large, lipped sheet pan and cover entire bottom.
8. Pour pecan mixture onto sheet pan and spread out evenly.
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until lightly browned (see image).
10. Stir and return to over for 15 minutes.
11. Stir again and return to oven for 10 minutes, making sure nuts do not burn.
12. Place wax paper on a cooling rack and coat wax paper with 2 Tbsps melted butter.
13. Pour pecans onto buttered waxed paper and spread into one layer.
14. Lightly salt the pecans while they are still warm.
15. Let the pecans cool for about 10 minutes then transfer to storage.
16. When they are completely cool, cover and store.

Note that this treat will expand as it first cooks. That is why your pan needs to have a lip. If you try this with an unlipped pan, you will make a big nasty mess in your oven. The pan pictures above is 13 x 18 x 1 inches.

Keeps at least 3 weeks if you don’t eat them first.

This Indian staple comes in countless formulas. It’s warm, complex and compliments many foods. My favorite use is in chicken khorma, but it also goes great on many vegetables. Also used in Bombay Beef.

Ingredients:

4 Tbsps coriander seeds
1 Tbsp cumin seeds
3/4 Tbsp black peppercorn
1-1/2 tsps black cumin seeds (cala jeera)
3/4 tsp black cardamom seed
3/4 tsp whole cloves
3/4 tsp crushed bay leaves
(1) 1 inch piece cinnamon stick or 3/8 tsp ground
1-1/2 tsps ground ginger

Instructions:

If using stick cinnamon:
1. Place all spices except for ginger in a large frying pan.
2. Roast over medium heat, stirring occasionally until spices begin to release their smells. Be careful not to burn spices as that will ruin them. Be patient.
3. Cool completely.
4. Grind to a fine powder with a coffee grinder, adding the ground ginger.
5. Store in an airtight container.

If using cinnamon powder:
1. Place all spices except for ginger and cinnamon in a large frying pan.
2. Roast over medium heat, stirring occasionally until spices begin to release their smells. Be careful not to burn spices as that will ruin them. Be patient.
3. Cool completely.
4. Grind to a fine powder with a coffee grinder, adding the powdered ginger and cinnnamon.
5. Store in an airtight container.

Yields 1/2 cup.