Thick hot day, the kind that melts you and makes everyone feel heavy. Lets go for a walk up to a friends, he suggests. Are you mad? I’m not walking anywhere but the beach. Yes, that kind of day. Even the car hating little one sleeps soundly. The kind of day where all you can do is try and keep it all together, and not fall asleep at the wheel. And come home to crave smoky BBQ ribs and brownies for dessert. But not just any old ribs, and certainly no typical brownies. Chug onwards, and give up on sleep, it’s for sissies anyway. The pressure of the harvest is on and mid-vortex-internet-suucubus overtaking you, a thought, that those saskatoons will fade before you know it, and their plumpness begs to be picked. Proud of my speed, you learn to pick fast when your baby is screaming and mosquitos feast upon your flesh. 4 L bucket – 7 minutes, I think it’s time to quit my day job.
I’ll tell you something, this is the first time I’ve ever made ribs of any kind. I saw these local organic baby back ribs at the market and in a rush just grabbed them (my brain doesn’t work on logic at the market) hardly knowing at all what to do. My mom made ribs for us, they were good, but not this good, sorry ma. I did my homework, checked out some rib recipes around the net and got the basic gist that low and slow is essential, and like all things, a good sauce. I wanted something classic, yet refined, out of the ordinary, yet still lip smacking good. The berries call to me, and I remember their plump abundance sitting on the counter, waiting to be transformed. This sauce consists of ample saskatoon berries which could be swapped out for blueberries, shadbush or huckleberry. Along with raspberries, and some black raspberry (a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry). Feel inspired to use whatever is most available to you, the more wild, the better. Even cherries would work well in this recipe.
Be prepared to never want these bumble berry BBQ ribs to end, don’t be like me and use only 1 rack of ribs for 2 people, I could’ve easily eaten a full one to myself. J was literally ticked that I only made 1 rack, but how was I to know they’d be so good. Beginners luck I suppose…
- 1 or 2 racks of baby back pork ribs
- 2 Tbs cajun seasoning- recipe below
- 1 Tbs sea salt
- 1 Tbs oregano
- 1 Tbs thyme
- 1 Tbs paprika
- 1 Tbs marjoram
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- ½ Tbs granulated garlic
- ½ Tbs granulated onion
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 3 Cups mixed berries- blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, saskatoon...
- ½ Cup water
- 1 tsp worcester sauce
- 4 Tbs apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic. minced
- ½ a white onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 scotch bonnet pepper, very finely minced, or a habanero or jalapeño for less intense spice
- 1 Tsp coconut oil or other fat
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Combine spices for the cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Cover the ribs with your dry rub mixture. Optionally you could let the ribs absorb the spices overnight.
- Cook, covered with foil for 2 hours.
- Add the berries and water to a small pot and heat to a simmer until the berries have released their juices.
- In a separate pot or pan, heat the oil and add to it the garlic and onions, sauté until translucent and aromatic. Add the paprika, Worcester sauce,vinegar and the hot pepper.
- Strain the berries in a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, add the juice to the other pot with the onion.You can use the berry pulp in smoothies or baked good.
- Bring the mix to a simmer and turn off.
- Heat oven to broil and uncover ribs from the foil, smother them in BBQ sauce and broil for 5 mins.
