Italian Ribs or Garlic, Garlic Everywhere

I've returned with a cooking/recipe post at long last. Yesterday was Sunday (as I am sure most of you are well aware), and I rarely do anything other than reading or writing or studying for school. However, yesterday I cooked, too.

I had a rack of pork ribs in my freezer. They fell out of the freezer every time I opened the freezer, which is quite often as I like ice cubes in the various beverages I consume. When they fell out Friday, I decided to put them in the refrigerator to let them thaw, which they did. And so begins the journey that I have come to call "Italian Ribs or Garlic, Garlic Everywhere."

Ingredients:
1 rack of pork ribs
1 Tbsp of rosemary
1 Tbsp of peppercorns
kosher salt (about 4 Tbsp all together)
more pepper
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp Paprika
olive oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1 small can tomato paste
1 small onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Pinot Noir (No - not red wine - PINOT NOIR! God help you if you use Merlot!)
2 Tbsp white vinegar

Utensils/tools:
medium saucepan
roasting pan
cutting board
chef's knife
blender
glaze brush
small spatula
measuring cups (wet and dry)
measuring spoons
mortal and pestle/spice grinder

First, you need to rinse the rack of ribs and pat it dry with some paper towels. After you have done that, set the ribs in the roasting pan, bone-side down. In a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind 1 Tbsp dried rosemary leaves and 1 Tbsp peppercorns. Add 1 Tbsp of kosher salt to this mixture, evenly mix it, and then apply, that is, rub it onto the ribs. Turn over the ribs do that the bone-side is up. Rub some kosher salt and some ground pepper on this side - it is not as essential that this side is seasoned because there is little meat on it. After you have done this, turn the ribs back over so that the bone-side is down again. Place the roasting pan (with the ribs in it) in the refrigerator. Let the ribs set for at least two hours.

In the meantime, it's time to get saucy (with the sauce)! In the medium saucepan, add some olive oil and place over medium-low heat. Mince the onion and garlic. (You may use a food processor for this if you do not feel your knife skills are up to the task or you do not want to suffer the ONION TEARS OF DEATH!) Ehem... Anyway - Add the onion and garlic to the oil. Saute until they are just beginning to brown, but DO NOT BURN THEM! Burnt onion and garlic = nasty crap. Reduce the heat to low. Add the tomato paste and mix in the onions and garlic. Add the Pinot Noir and stir. Finally, add the vinegar, cayenne pepper, paprika, 1 Tbsp of kosher salt, 1 Tbsp black pepper, and sugar. Stir. Cover and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to sit for about 10 minutes uncovered. Pour the sauce into a blender and puree. Set the sauce aside.

NB: When sauteing garlic and onions (but especially garlic), I recommend you find a way to trap the smell/aroma in your kitchen, i.e. - close doors, turn on exhaust fan, etc. The smell of sauteing garlic likes to linger... everywhere. Clothes, furniture, towels... You name it, garlic will stenchify it.

When you are about ready to put your ribs into the oven, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. After the oven has reached the correct temperature, put the roasting pan with the ribs in it (bone-side down) into the oven. This method of cooking would be what is known as "roasting." The roasting pan is left uncovered, and you do NOT put any liquid of any sort into the pan. Ribs, rub, pan. That's it. Roast the ribs for about 3 hours. Check occasionally to make sure all is well - that is, nothing is burning or on fire. Check at fifteen minute intervals during the last hour of roasting to ensure that the ribs do not dry out.

Once 3 hours have passed (or 2 hours and however many minutes have passed), remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using the glaze brush, liberally cover the meat-side of the rack of ribs with the sauce/glaze/whatever you want to call that tomato-wine-garlic mixture of goodness. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 10 minutes, still at 300 degrees. After 10 minutes, remove from the oven, glaze again, and return to oven for 15 minutes at 300 degrees. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven. Allow the ribs to set for about 5 minutes and then enjoy!

I would pair the ribs with the traditional accoutrement - garden salad, baked potato, and a glass of red wine (the remaining Pinot Noir from the bottle you opened for the sauce is a good choice).

Enjoy the ribs, but try to deal with the eau de garlic from the cooking. Thank God for Febreeze!