Homemade BBQ Ribs and Hasselback Potatoes

It's been a stressful weekend. Nothing has gone right. Not in my life. Not in my significant other's life.

I love to cook for people, he loves to eat. It works out well.

My dinner plans for the evening did not work out well. My mother made ribs the last time I was in Ohio. They were moist, tender and tasted like the generic bottle of barbecue sauce that she dumped on top of them. Not my ideal food but they were ok.

I set out on a mission to make my own, from scratch. Or at least as "from scratch" as possible. Making my own ketchup would have taken entirely too long. Although probably would have greatly improved my sauce.

Barbecue Sauce
(this makes enough for 4-5 servings)
2 slices of bacon
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 of a sweet onion, diced
3 smashed garlic cloves
2 cups ketchup
1 cup peach preserves/jam
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
6 tbsp. molasses
2 tbsp. white wine
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 heaping tsp. smoked paprika

In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until almost crisp. Add in the ground thyme and diced onion. Cook until the onion is beginning to soften. Add in the remaining ingredients. Cook over low heat for 20-40 minutes, stirring frequently.


Ribs:
I used enough for 2 servings and frozen the remaining portion of my ribs. Brush ribs with a little olive oil and dust with a bit of smoked paprika. Bake at 250 for 1 hour. Brush/baste (depending on the amount of sauce you prefer) with sauce every 15 minute and continue baking for 45 minutes.

Since it was raining and I could not use my grill, I was stuck with my very inefficient broiler. The last 15 min of cooking, I spooned the bbq sauce on thick and put it under the broiler to slightly caramelize the sauce onto the ribs. If your oven works properly this should take about 3-5 minutes, if your oven works like mine, it took over 20 min under the broiler to achieve a "grilled" effect. Just watch them carefully so that they don't burn!


Potatoes
2 Russet Potatoes
2 cloves garlic
4 tbsp. butter, room temperature
Salt and Pepper

Make sure the potato skins are thoroughly cleaned.

Using a sharp knife, make cuts about three-fourths of the way into the potato, across the entire length of the potato. Slice the garlic thinly and put a slice of garlic into each cut into the potato. Smear the top of the potato with a little of the butter. Bake at 425 for 1 hour, basting with additional butter every 15 minutes. Top with salt and pepper.

The skins will be nice and crisp. From what I've seen online, the idea for these potatoes started in Stockholm, Sweden. Wherever they are from, it is a nice twist to a classic baked potato.