What Animal Is Joe Eating?

It Was A Patio Day

Posted: 3/26/2007

It was 75°F on Sunday. I had planned to finish up the drywall in my office, but it was just too nice to spend the day in the basement. So, I soaked some strawberries and apple pieces in some brandy and orange juice with some grated orange zest and fresh ginger. After the fruit soaked for a couple of hours, I put the mixture into a pitcher with a bottle of red wine. Neighbors stopped over and we all enjoyed the weather and sangria.

Friday evening, Mary announced that our freezer was too full. She pulled a rack of pork ribs that had been in the freezer since December. “I think they’re freezer burned,” she announced. Mary has a low tolerance for freezer burn and food going stale. She has thrown out ice cream, claiming freezer burn, and said that certain canned foods have gone stale.

I looked at the package, pronounced it good, and placed it in the fridge to thaw. By Saturday afternoon, the rack was sufficiently thawed to trim, dry and rub. For one rack, I use roughly a quarter cup of good, smoked paprika, eighth cup each of salt, onion powder, ground cumin, finely ground black pepper and chili powder. After sitting in the fridge overnight, I put the rack in my oven at 225°F set for convection heat for six hours.

What Animal Is Joe Eating?

Updated 12/6/06

It Was A Patio Day