LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2023

COOKING METHODS From slow-roasting to high-heat grilling to smoking, there are many ways to turn out great ribs. Oven Don’t have a grill or smoker? You can still make memorable ribs in the oven. Bake at 325°F (163°C)— baby back ribs covered, spareribs uncovered—until fork-tender. Raise heat to 450°F (232°C), glaze ribs with sauce then bake briefly to brown and crisp the edges. Oven/Grill This method is great for parcooking a bunch of ribs for a backyard feast. Rest ribs for at least 15 minutes after they come out of the oven, then brush with sauce and sear on a medium-hot grill until smoky and beautifully glazed. Grill Indirect heat is the name of the game for ribs cooked solely on a grill. Whether using charcoal or gas, you want your heat source on one side, and the ribs placed on the other. Lid closed, with the temperature around 325°F (163°C), this method should yield tender ribs in 2 to 3 hours. Sous Vide/Grill Cooking ribs sous vide means they will shrink less than with conventional braising or slow-roasting methods. Collagen and connective tissue begin to dissolve into gelatin at roughly 160°F (70°C), so cook your ribs around this temperature for 12 to 14 hours. Rest and then finish on a hot grill. CORNED BEEF-STYLE SOUS VIDE SHORT RIBS Recipe at LCBO.com/fdearlysummer23 The seasoning in this recipe will yield ribs that taste like old-school deli meat, but sous vide cooking and a grill finish will give them an unbeatable steak-like texture. Mustard is essential here to complement the corned beef flavours and cut through the richness. We chose this recipe to shed light on the benefits of cooking ribs sous vide: not only is there less shrinkage, but you get a more toothsome texture.

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68 FOOD & DRINK EARLY SUMMER 2023