How I do it: Stovetop Ribs with a splash of Billy Joel
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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of feature articles from EastIdahoNews.com News Editor David Kennard. He’ll bring you along as he pairs his weekend chores with some of his favorite music. Don’t like his music selections? Feel free to suggest something better.
Out of desperation, I tried a recipe I found while scrolling through Facebook.
You see, a few weeks ago, I moved to Idaho from North Carolina, pulling a trailer behind the moving van. In the trailer was my gas grill, which was strapped down well. But somewhere between Amarillo, Texas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, the grill met its demise.
Several miles outside of Amarillo, major road construction shook the truck, the trailer, and consequently everything in them — including the grill.
So, with just a few weeks left in the summer grilling season, my poor grill is sitting on the deck with just two of the five burners firing, barely.
You, or rather I, cannot properly grill baby back ribs using a faulty grill. So, what the heck, turn to Facebook for a pretty good method for making ribs on your stovetop.
The Playlist
This is a quick recipe, so I created a playlist lasting less than half an hour. Not including cleanup. Find my playlist here.
- “My life,” Billy Joel, 4:46
- “Go your Own Way,” Fleetwood Mac, 3:43
- “Don’t stop Believing,” Journey, 4:09
- “Old Time Rock and Roll,” Bob Seger, 3:14
- “The Longest Time,” Billy Joel, 3:37
- “Take It Easy,” The Eagles, 3:31
- “Forever Young,” Rod Stewart, 4:07
- “Crackling’ Rose!” Neil Diamond, 2:59
- “Take it On the Run,” REO Speedwagon” 4:01
- “There’s a Bad Moon On the Rise,” Credence Clearwater Revival, 2:21
- “You Make my Dreams Come True,” Hall and Oats, 3:03
- “Somebody’s Baby,” Jackson Browne, 4:18
- “Rich Girl,” Hall and Oats, 2:24
- You May Be Right,” Billy Joel, 4:17
A quick note on this one: I added a couple of Billy Joel tunes to this one, as a salute to “The Piano Man” for reminding me of the time I actually “walked through Bedford–Stuyvesant alone.”
The recipe
As you do with any recipe, remove the film from the underside of the ribs. A paper towel or napkin makes this easier.
Divide your ribs into two or three sections to fit into a skillet, add water, then boil for two minutes.
Add some salt, pepper and paprika – about a teaspoon each. Then some garlic – again about a teaspoon. Flip the ribs over and boil for a bit longer – two minutes-ish.
Then add a small amount of soy sauce. Serious, a small amount – no more than half a cup. Let it boil down.
Add a bottle of whatever beer you favor – my favorite is Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer. Boil it down.
The ribs are good to go now, or you can ad your favorite barbecue sauce. My favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s, but for my most recent batch I tried the new Yellowstone brand. It was very good.
Remember to always season your cast iron griddle after use.
David Kennard is the News Editor at EastIdahoNews.com. Contact him at david.kennard@EastIdahoNews.com.