I'm Scandinavian. With the maiden name Skotterud, how much more Scandinavian does it get? It's in my blood and it's what makes me love the kinds of foods I love. Breads, Cheeses, Sauerkraut, Bratwurst, Rice, Shortbread, Pickles, Swedish Meatballs, Rye Crackers, etc. When I was little, my Mom used to make "Spare Ribs and Sauerkraut" often. I have always loved the comfort dish in it's simplicity. However, I also remember looking back, how bland the food we used to eat was. Fast forward to 2014. I LOVE to cook. I mean love, in the sense that if I can find a dish that will keep me in the kitchen for hours on a Sunday afternoon, I am in heaven. I also have grown to appreciate full flavors in my food. Spice is the key to every dish! My number one "special ingredient" is adding jalapeños to almost everything I make. It adds so much flavor and takes an every day dish, like Chicken Marsala for example, to a new level. It has people wanting more every time. This past week I realized I was craving Spare Ribs and Sauerkraut. It's typically a fall/wintery dish because it really warms the belly. I decided to try it in the crock pot so the time over a hot Dutch oven wouldn't be necessary. I also decided to add a few extra touches to the traditional dish to make it my own. I think it came out extraordinary! Even my oldest Son said it was very good, and he's not a big sauerkraut fan. I think the jalapeños, apple and bacon cut the tartness of the sauerkraut nicely. I also think the choice of beer complimented the dish as a whole. So if you're so inclined, perhaps pin it for the fall/winter months so you aren't sweating preparing it AND eating it if you live in 100 degree weather like I do. If you're not a fan of sauerkraut but love pork spare ribs and are willing to try something new, giving this dish a try may just change your mind forever. It's that good. Vær så god! Vel bekomme! Ingredients 1 pound fingerling potatoes 3 – 4 Jalapeños, sliced 1 medium brown onion, chopped 1 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped 3-4 slices thick-sliced bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 1 jar (16 ounces) sauerkraut, undrained 2 pounds pork spareribs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds 1 12 oz bottle of beer (I used Indio for its dark toasted malty flavor) Directions 1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels and remove all but 1 tbsp. of the remaining bacon grease. (Side Note: Save the bacon grease for later use. It’s liquid gold when making other dishes!) 2. In a 6-qt. slow cooker, place the potatoes, jalapeños, onion, apple, bacon and sauerkraut, liquid and all, to the slow cooker. 3. Cut spareribs into serving-size portions; sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the tbsp. of bacon grease over medium-high heat; brown ribs in batches. Transfer to slow cooker; sprinkle with brown sugar and caraway seeds. 4. Pour in beer. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until ribs are tender. 5. (Optional) During the last hour, mix all of the ribs in with the rest of the ingredients to meld the flavors before serving.
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