Smoked Sticky Short Ribs

We recreated a Canadian summer menu for Konstantinos and George who were visiting from Greece

Early in the week our friends came to visit from Athens, and Ted couldn’t wait to give Konstantinos a steak grilling tutorial.  He did a spectacular job, and will be able to take his skills back to Greece and impress all his friends and family.   

During this enduring cold spell the smoker is a great way to prepare hands-off meals that mean you can stay warm inside.  Once the Broil King Keg is lit and the food is on, you can pretty much forget about this dish until the glazing stage.  And to make it even easier, we used the Broil King Spicy Thai Rub for the initial flavouring. 

Sticky Short Ribs

2 tablespoons Broil King Perfect Spicy Thai Rub

4 thick cut beef short ribs

for the sauce:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon finely minced ginger root

1 clove garlic, finely minced

¼ cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sambal olek

for the garnish:

toasted sesame seeds

chopped green onions

Light the Broil King Keg and set the vents to 2 and 2.  Rub the short ribs all over with the spice rub, and wrap them tightly in heavy aluminum foil.  Place them on the smoker for 3-4 hours.

In a small pot, heat the oil over MEDIUM LOW heat and add the ginger and garlic.  Stir for one minute, or until very fragrant.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stir to combine and simmer until slightly reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes.   Twenty minutes to half an hour before serving, carefully unwrap the ribs and place them on a parchment lined sheet.  (At this point you can also sprinkle some soaked and drained wood chips over the coals for a smokier flavor).  Baste the ribs all over with the sauce, and place on the smoker to glaze them.  To serve, sprinkle with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

We wanted to make something special for Reid’s birthday that he had never had before, so we put together a gluten free version of Hugh Carpenter’s pot stickers.  The dough was easier to handle than expected, although it couldn’t be rolled quite as thinly as traditional dough without breaking.   The result was rustic and tasty. 

Gluten Free Pot Stickers with Chipotle Ketchup

For the dumpling dough:

¾ cup tapioca starch

¾ cup sweet rice flour, plus more for handling

¾ cup millet flour

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

¾ cup just-boiled water

a few tablespoons cold water

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.  Pour in the hot water and stir until crumbly and mostly combined.  Dust the counter with sweet rice flour, and begin to knead the dough by hand, adding cold water by the tablespoon until it is soft and smooth, but not too sticky.  Place the dough in a small ziplock bag and let it rest for at least an hour. 

For the filling:

1 small package dried morels

3 green onions, minced

½ pound raw shrimp

1 egg white

½ pound ground veal

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon sherry

1 teaspoon sambal olek

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup sour cream

½ cup Chipotle Ketchup, recipe follows

Pour 2 cups hot water over the mushrooms to soften for 20 minutes.  Drain well and mince.  Combine the shrimp and egg white in a food processor and pulse until minced.  In a medium bowl, combine the mushrooms, green onions, shrimp, veal, oyster sauce, sherry, sambal olek and sugar.  Mix lightly with your fingers until combined. 

Working with ¼ of the dumpling dough at a time (keeping the remaining dough sealed in the ziplock), roll the dough into a cylinder, then cut into 1” segments.  Cover the exposed dough with a dish towel until rolling to prevent it from drying out.  Dust the counter top and rolling pin with sweet rice flour.  Flatten the 1” segment, then roll it out to a rough 3 ½ “ circle.  Gently lift it and place it in your palm,  and scoop a scant tablespoonful of filling into the centre of the dough.  With a pastry brush, brush the outside edges with cold water.  Fold in half, pressing the edges together, then pinch the edges together decoratively.  Place the dumpling on a parchment lined baking sheet that has been dusted with sweet rice flour or corn starch.  Repeat until all the dough is used.  Any leftover filling can be shaped into small meatballs and fried or frozen.

We froze the dumplings on the baking sheet, then stored them in an airtight container until ready to use, but they could also be cooked fresh within 4 hours.  To cook, heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan on MEDIUM HIGH.  Add the dumplings, spacing them apart so that they do not touch since they will expand slightly during the cooking process.  Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until beginning to brown on the bottom.  Pour in one cup of water and cover loosely with foil, or with a lid kept slightly ajar.  Continue to steam the dumplings, shaking the pan occasionally, until all the water has evaporated and the dumplings just begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.

To serve, spoon the warm ketchup onto heated plates and place the dumplings on top.  Dot with sour cream and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. 

Chipotle Ketchup

¼ cup chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

pinch salt

pinch ground allspice

Puree the chipotle chiles, then force the pulp through a sieve, discarding the seeds.  Place a large sauté pan over MEDIUM HIGH heat and add the oil.  Briefly sauté the prepared garlic and shallots, then add the chipotles, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and allspice.  Bring to a boil, dial back the temperature and simmer until thick, and until about 1 cup remains.  Can be stored in a tightly sealed jar for up to 1 month.

A round of Cranium was the perfect way to cap off Reid's birthday!