Rib Tips For Father's Day

What man doesn't love Ribs?

There may be a few but I certainly don't know 'em.

Hannah Horne, who hosts the morning show on WIS TV (NBC affiliate) in Columbia, SC, asked us to be on her show and discuss a dish that would make Dad smile on Father's Day. Wife Rachel and I both said "RIBS!!!".

Ribs can be scary to cook the first time. A lot of folks don't even want to try. It's not that hard. Really.

This is an easy way to cook ribs at home for your man on Father's Day. This is not how we do them in our restaurant and you certainly wouldn't do them this way in a competition. But, I have cooked ribs this way at home. A lot of times, you don't have 5 or 6 hours to cook ribs in a smoker or on a grill. There has to be a quicker, easier way.

There is. We are going to cook these in the oven first and finish them on the grill, in half the time.

Let's prep the Ribs.

I like Pork Spare Ribs. Baby Back Ribs get a lot more publicity (and they are really good) but the Spare Ribs have more meat and can be just as juicy. For the guys I know, more meat is always better.

Prepping the Ribs:

Pick nice, meaty Ribs. A little fat on them is fine.

Rinse the Ribs, then pat dry.

Turn the ribs over. There is a membrane covering the bones. This needs to be removed because nothing will penetrate it and it does not dissolve. You will enhance the flavor of the Ribs if the membrane is gone.

Take a knife or the butt end of a fork or spoon and dig under the membrane on top of a bone (at one end of the Rib). Wiggle it a little to loosen part of the mambrane. Try to loosen it all the way up the bone. It is very slick and hard to handle bare handed. Take a little bit of paper towel and grab the membrane and pull away from the Rib. If you started at one end of the Rib, you should be able to completely remove the membrane. It's no big deal if you don't the first time. Just grab whatever is left with the paper towel and tug away. Now, you should have a "clean" back of the Rib. You can see the bones easily.

Let's season the Rib.

Now, professionals will tell you to brine the Ribs for extra juiciness. That is putting the Ribs in salty water for a time (quite often over night). You may not have time for that. No big deal.

Ribs need a Rub. That's just a seasoning combination to "rub" on the Rib. You can make your own or buy one at your local grocer or butcher shop. Or, come to our restaurant. Tell me you saw this blog and I'll be happy to get you some of our Rub for 1/2 price.

The basic ingredients are always Salt, Pepper, Garlic. You can add just about anything in your cabinet. I've heard people use Cayenne, Onion, Sugar, Oregano, Chili Powder, Paprika, all sorts of things. Buying a Rub is surely cheaper than buying all of these individual ingredients.

Liberally spread the Rub on the Ribs. Back and Front. You can wrap the Ribs in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for a while (overnight if possible) to really let those flavors sink in. Or, for the sake of time, let the Ribs sit on an aluminum foil lined tray until they get to room temperature. Now, we're ready to cook.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Preheat your grill in about 30 minutes.Take the Ribs that are on an aluminum lined tray and wrap the Ribs with aluminum foil. When the oven reaches 350, put the Ribs in on the middle rack. Cook for approximately an hour. Open the aluminum foil on the Ribs and check to see if the ends of the bones are beginning to show. If the bones are not showing, close the aluminum foil around the Ribs again and cook another 15 minutes or so, until the bone ends start to show. It will look like the meat is shrinking on the bone. Don't be surprised that the meat is not going to look like you expect it to. It will probably be a "grayish" color. Not exactly like you see them in restaurants, for sure. Take the foil off of the Ribs and let them stay in the oven another 15 minutes or so. The color should be getting more "riblike".

Take the Ribs out of the oven and let's head to the grill.

The grill should be about medium heat or somewhere around 300 - 325. Now, have the flame only on one side of the grill. We're going to finish the Ribs using "indirect" heat. Here's a quick tip on getting a little smoke from your grill. (You can certainly finish the Ribs without smoke if you like.) 

You can actually make your grill a "smoker". You can get wood chips at your grocer or butcher when you get the Ribs. 

To make your grill a smoker, take the wood chips and put them in a bowl of water for a couple of hours. Make sure the water covers the chips. Wet chips smoke, dry chips burn up. We use Hickory chips but I understand Apple wood chips are good for Ribs too. Take the wet chips out of the water and put them in a "pouch" you make from aluminum foil. Seal the aluminum pouch and poke holes in the top of the pouch. Put the pouch on the side of the grill with the flame. You may even try putting the pouch on the charcoal if you use a charcoal grill. It should start smoking soon. You should be able to get some smoke flavor in the Ribs but don't expect it to be as much as would in a restaurant. 

Put the Ribs (bone side down) on the grill on the side without the flame. Check the bone ends to see that the meat is shrinking back. You should start getting some better color on your Ribs. 

Many people like to baste their Ribs with a BBQ sauce. Remember, most sauces have sugar in them. Sugar burns with direct heat. So, don't baste too early if you turn your Ribs. Baste the last few minutes of your cooking time. I like to baste the Ribs and then turn them over to the direct flame for just a couple of minutes. It really caramelizes the sauce to the Ribs. Our signature Sweet Heat Sauce (vinegar and tomato) is awesome on Ribs. Come by and say you saw this blog and I'll get you some sauce 1/2 price too!  

You will know your Ribs are done when you pick them up with a set of tongs. Grab the Ribs at one end (about 1/2 of the Rib) and hold straight out. If the Ribs bend just a little, they need a little more time. The Ribs should bend almost in half when they are ready. You probably need to do the "bend" test when you take the Ribs out of the oven to judge how much longer you need to cook on the grill.

I hope this helps you. You don't have to be a pro and you don't need to have restaurant or competition equipment to produce some pretty good ribs.

Come see us!

  



Blue Cheese Burgers

  

            Man, am I  looking forward to grilling tonight! My wife, Rachel, and I are eating Blue Cheese Burgers in a little while. Ever had one?

            We have these on our menu at our restaurant, RB’s Bodacious Bistro, in Columbia. We call it the “Big Gary.”  We named it for Gary Gregor who is like my big brother. Gary played basketball at South Carolina in the mid 1960’s. He was an undersized center at a listed 6’6”. He battled centers much taller than him in the ACC. He averaged around 16 points and 13 rebounds a game. Gary was an NBA first round draft pick in 1968, chosen by the Phoenix Suns as their first pick ever (they were an expansion team that year). The Dallas Cowboys also drafted Gary to play football. Gary spent a lot of time at our house during his time at Carolina and has always been a close friend. He asked me if we were going to have a Blue Cheese Burger at the restaurant. I told him we certainly were. We surprised him at our grand opening when I showed him our menu with his name gracing the burger.

            Now, let’s get back to the burger. We use ground chuck beef, not ground beef. The chuck has more flavor. We use a blend of 80% beef and 20% fat. Remember that fat is flavor. You can use a leaner meat but your burger will probably be a little drier with less flavor. That’s not a good combination in my book.

            Rachel is hand pattying (if that is a word) the burgers right now. She puts Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and garlic in the meat. She mixes the meat in a large bowl and lets it sit to meld the flavors.

            In a few minutes, she will split a patty in half. She will put sliced onions and Blue Cheese Crumbles on top of one of the halves. Then, she will cover the half burger with the other half. Think of an Oreo cookie. She will press the edges of the burger together so that it looks like a regular burger. That allows the onions and Blue Cheese to cook inside the burger without oozing out of the sides. One important thing to remember, we put a compression in the center of the burger with our thumb. This allows the meat to cook evenly, without “balling up” like a cue ball.

            We are cooking on charcoal instead of gas tonight. There is just something about grilling with charcoal for burgers and steaks. We will get a good sear on both sides of the burgers and then we will finish grilling the burgers on a cooler side of the grill.

            When the burgers are finished on the grill, we will let them rest on a platter (covered slightly with tin foil) for about 8-10 minutes. This is very important because the juices in the meat are near the surface when you first take them off the grill. When they rest a few minutes the juices move back toward the center of the burger (or any meat you may be cooking). Have you ever eaten a burger right off the grill? The juice ends up rolling down your arms more times than not.

            While we wait for the burger to rest, we’ll put a nice dollop of Blue Cheese dressing on a bun, along with leaf lettuce and a vine ripe tomato. We diced an “already baked” potato and put it in the oven. The potato will be crunchy, kind of like big Hash Browns.  

Now we are ready. We will slide the Blue Cheese Burger on the bun and take a big bite. Now that’s some good eatin’!

            Hey Rachel, what’s for dessert?

            Ha, she said our homemade RB’s Banana Pudding! Guess it’s salad for me tomorrow.

Bill Gause

RB’s Bodacious Bistro

803-251-0303

Peach Mustard BBQ Sauce

It's that grillin' time of year! Who doesn't enjoy being out in the yard or on your deck with man's best summer friend, the grill? Of course, here in South Carolina our best friend can be used almost year round. It's just more fun when the weather is right and the sun stays up a little longer. And remember, in the South we are grillin' or cookin' out, not barbequeing. In the South, Barbeque is a Noun not a Verb! Something you eat, not something you do. 

I want to share a recipe with you that we use in our catering business. We have not used it yet at our restaurant, RB's Bodacious Bistro, because we sell so much Pulled Pork BBQ with our Sweet Heat vinegar and tomato sauce and our Carolina Bold Mustard sauce. The recipe I'm sharing with you is for a Pork Loin or Tenderloin. You can also use this recipe with Chicken, Duck, or Veal.

When catering a Cocktail Reception or something considered upscale, we usually prepare Pork Tenderloin. If we are catering a Luncheon or grilling at home, my wife Rachel and I use Pork Loin. The Tenderloin takes more prep time because we have to trim the Silverskin, a tough membrane that covers most of one side of the Tenderloin. A Pork Loin is ready to go right out of the packaging. It has a pretty thick fat cap but we leave the cap on because it cooks down anyway and gives the Pork  some more flavor. We can cook the Loin whole or slice chops from it. The fact that both the Loin and Tenderloin are boneless is a plus.

Now for the Sauce.

Our Peach Mustard BBQ Sauce is a hearty sauce. It is thicker and pretty powerful. Not something I would enjoy on my pulled Pork. It has Whole Grain Mustard and Dijon Mustard in it so the sauce has strong flavor. You add Bourbon at the end to give it a pwerful kick. I'm giving you the recipe that we use for catering so it will give you some leftover sauce to use at a later date.

1              Cup        unsalted Butter

2/3          Cup        Minced Onion

1              Tea         Garlic, Minced

1              Cup        Cider Vinegar

2.5          Cup        Whole-Grain Mustard

1 ¼         Cup        Dijon Mustard

4              Cup        Peach Preserves

1/3          Cup        Bourbon

2              TBL       Kosher Salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and boil until almost completely reduced and the mixture looks like wet sand, about 4 minutes. Whisk in both mustards and the jam or preserves. Simmer, whisking, until jam melts, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the bourbon and salt.

Cook's Note: The bourbon is stirred in at the end--uncooked--to give a genuine jolt to the sauce.

This is a thick sauce. Take a portion of the sauce and put in a separate bowl to use in basting. You will be using a basting brush dipped into the sauce several times. The basting sauce will be contaminated with the raw pork juices on the basting brush. You can clean the basting sauce after you have finished basting by boiling the basting sauce. Make sure you clean the basting brush also before using again.

We baste the meat and then sear on the grill. Because of the sugar (jam or preserves) in the sauce, it will burn a little bit. If you are using Tenderloin, you can finish on the grill. If you are using a thick Loin, you may want to finish in a 350 degree oven.

After you have finished cooking baste the meat again with the clean basting sauce or some of the original sauce you made. 

Let the meat rest for around 10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to return to the center of the meat.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.

If you are ever in Columbia, SC, come see us at RB's Bodacious Bistro at the Bank of America Plaza. 1901 Main Street Columbia, 29206. 803-251-0303.

Great Grillin'

Bill Gause

wgause2285@aol.com 

  

The Relationship

            This is not about the South or Food or USC athletics. This is personal. 

Something happened to me one night about this time last year. I am not sure why it happened or what I am supposed to do with it, but I have felt lead today to share it. It came out of nowhere and actually happened again one other time last year (in an abbreviated version).

I told my wife, Rachel, about it the next day. I thought I needed to record the experience, so two weeks later I wrote it down. Amazingly, Rachel said it was verbatim to what I told her earlier. That was unusual since I rarely remember things verbatim the next day, much less two weeks later.

Before you read any further, understand that this is about my father, Jesus, and God. If a story involving Jesus and God offend you, then this will offend you.

For those who read this, I hope it is a positive experience for you.   

                                                                                                        May 11, 2010

The Relationship

            On April 26, 2010 I went to sleep at my normal time. About 1:30 in the morning I woke up and immediately was wide awake. I had my eyes open and was turned towards my wife, Rachel, who was sleeping soundly.

Then, I had a vision. I know it was a vision and not a dream. My eyes were open and I was aware of my surroundings. I reached over to touch Rachel just to be sure. What I saw was as real as anything I have ever been a part of.

In my vision, I was in the pulpit at the Boyce Chapel of First Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. I was giving my father’s eulogy at his funeral. My father had died in February 2005. I had written “A Son’s Perspective” for his funeral and it was read to the funeral attendees by Steve Phillips, my father’s good friend and Minister of Music at First Baptist. I could not have given a eulogy at his funeral or even read what I had written without being overcome with emotion.

However, in my vision that night, I was giving his eulogy very easily. I saw all of the people who were at my father’s funeral in 2005. The first floor of the chapel was full and the balcony was almost full. I saw my family on the first few rows on the left side (from my view) of the chapel. I saw my father’s almost garnet colored casket in front of me.

I spoke about his love for the church, his family, friends, and his patients in his medical practice. I told of his stroke earlier in the week and his time in the Baptist Hospital across the street from the First Baptist Church. I spoke about the family being with him when he took his last breath here on Earth. And something highly unusual for me, I recited the words to “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me. I have a tough time remembering words to songs if they aren’t playing on my radio. But this day, I recited all of them. Telling about what will we do in the presence of JESUS. Will we dance in his presence or on our knees will we fall? Will we sing hallelujah or will we be able to speak at all? 

Then my vision changed. I was now watching from the back as JESUS was standing by my father in front of the throne of GOD. It was like they were in a big room. There was no bright light. There was just a glow outlining JESUS and my father. It seemed that there was a tall curtain or drape behind the throne. It was dark, probably black. JESUS and my father had on white robes. They were barefooted. GOD was on his throne. He is really big. All I could see of him was from his bended knees to the bottom of his throne. From his knees to his feet was almost the same height as JESUS and my father. He had on huge sandals. Then GOD spoke.

When GOD speaks, it is with a loud, booming deep voice. Not menacing or threatening, just authoritative and conversational. GOD asked my father, “Billy Gause, why should I let you enter MY Heaven?” My father fell to his knees and then went face forward, flat on the ground. My father was weeping. What else do you do in GOD’S presence and he asks you that question? My father knew he did not deserve to be in Heaven. He was not worthy.

Then JESUS looked down on my father. JESUS put his hand around my father’s left bicep and helped him to his knees, then to his feet. My father was still weeping. JESUS put his arm around my father’s shoulder and said “I’ve got this one for you”. My father was about 5’9” tall. JESUS seemed to be about 5’11”. He had no trouble putting his arm around my father’s shoulder.

JESUS said to GOD, “FATHER, Billy Gause is a friend of mine. Years ago he asked me into his heart to be his LORD and SAVIOUR. I gave him the HOLY SPIRIT, and he lived his life the way we wanted him to live. I have been the LORD of his life. Remember when YOU sent ME to Earth to teach the people how to live and love? Billy got it. He did his best to live that way every day. Billy and I talk every day. He loves YOU and he loves ME. I love him. We have a relationship. He asked me to forgive his sins and I have taken all of his sins upon myself. Billy is pure. He is clean and he is righteous.”

With that, GOD said to my father “Billy Gause you are pure, clean, and righteous. You are welcome in MY Heaven!”

GOD took his left hand and drew back the curtain. The curtain reached from the ground to the sky. It was not like my father walked through a door. When GOD drew back the curtain, all of Heaven was there. The colors were amazing, not like we are accustomed to. Not even describable. The sky was a perfect blue with no clouds. Abundant light. It was like there was a field, with a stream and hills. Beautiful trees like weeping willows. Animals all around. People in flowing robes. My father was met by his father and mother, his aunts, and other family and friends who had passed on before him. To my surprise, he did not spend a lot of time with them. He continued to walk and he came upon Abraham, Moses, Jacob, and David. They knew my father’s name and they hugged.  My father had a big grin on his face.

Then my vision changed. I was back in the pulpit at my father’s funeral. I realized I had been narrating all that I had witnessed with JESUS and GOD. Then I knew that this vision was not about my father. While it is comforting to know that my father is in Heaven, the real message is about our relationship with JESUS. Until his death, my father had taught Sunday School for over 20 years. He had started and maintained a Friday morning Bible study at the Baptist Hospital for over 20 years. He sang in the choir for over 20 years. He was a deacon. He gladly gave his Tithe. Not once did JESUS mention any of this during his testimony for my father before GOD. He only spoke about their relationship.

As I was finishing my father’s eulogy, I could tell by the faces at the funeral that the mood had changed. They had substituted themselves in my father’s place. I said “One day all of us will be standing next to JESUS in the presence of GOD. GOD gives us grace and mercy. HE allows us to make our own decision about our eternal life. We determine whether we live eternally with GOD and JESUS or live eternally suffering in the depths of Hell. Without the relationship with JESUS, when GOD asks why should I let you in MY Heaven, JESUS will say “Get away from me, I never knew you.””

People were standing up. They began streaming down the aisle to the front of the chapel. It was no longer a funeral for my father. It was a day of acceptance and understanding that JESUS wants a relationship with us.  

With that, my vision ended.

This vision made me want to strengthen my relationship with JESUS CHRIST. I want to know him better. He already knows all about me. If you don’t know the next step, it is really pretty simple. But, you have to know in your heart that you want a relationship with HIM. JESUS knows your heart. If you know something is missing in your life. If you know that you have a “hole” that can’t be filled with what you have been trying to fill it with. JESUS CHRIST will fill that hole.

You can say a very simple prayer like this: “JESUS, I am a sinner. I am broken. My life is not what I want it to be. I am missing something. I believe you are what I am missing. I believe your FATHER sent you to me to wash away my sins. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and were raised from the dead and YOU are seated at the right hand of God. Please be my SAVIOUR. I repent of my sins. I ask you to LORD over my life. I want a relationship with you. I want all of YOU and I want to give YOU all of me. Thank YOU.  In JESUS’ name amen.

Now don’t look back. You are a new person in CHRIST. He sees you as righteous. Get to know him. He will change your life!

Food and Entertainment for the Southern Soul

                                                                             March 26, 2011

First, I want to thank Yellowfin for inviting me to contribute to his blog. I will be writing about Southern things because that is pretty much what I know about. I grew up and have always lived in Columbia, SC. I played a little basketball at the University of South Carolina under the legendary (at least to St. John’s, UNC, and USC fans) Frank McGuire in the 70’s. I grew up on ACC basketball and hated it when USC left the conference after winning the ACC Championship in Basketball. I was thirteen years old and in attendance when South Carolina beat the other Carolina in the ACC Championship game in Greensboro, NC. I ran onto the floor right after the buzzer sounded and right before the security people stopped any fans from rushing the court. A male USC cheerleader asked me to help him parade a bed sheet around the floor of the Greensboro Coliseum. I don't know what was written on the sheet, but it sure ticked off that UNC crowd because they threw ice cups and cussed at us as we circled the court. I remember having a big grin on my face.

 I have been in and out of the entertainment/hospitality industry for the last 20 years. Recently, my wife Rachel and I opened a new restaurant, RB’s Bodacious Bistro, in Columbia.  The RB is for Rachel and Bill, in case anyone wonders. It is the “Home of RB’s Bodacious Barbecue.” We will talk about BBQ another time. BBQ is a phenomenon all its own. People have been known to come to blows over their BBQ preferences.

 I am not a chef, but people pay me for my food, so I guess that makes me somewhat of an expert on what I know how to cook. We have been in the catering business for the past seven years, so I want to give some tips on preparing for small and large crowds. It seems scary at first but you can really get used to the big events. Our first event ever was for 800 people. The majority of our events ranged from 75 to 350 guests. Prior to catering, some partners (including USC football coaches Clyde Wren and Chuck Reedy) and I had a restaurant, Billy G’s American Bar and Grill (currently Liberty), in the Vista in Columbia. More bar than restaurant, actually. We sold over $1,000,000.00 of booze compared to $ 500,000.00 in food. We had live music every Thursday – Saturday. I can give some insight into the world of nighttime entertainment. That is a completely different world. A young man’s game.

I know Yellowfin’s blog reaches people in various regions of the United States. Maybe, even a few outside the borders. I hope that we will be able to give you some tips and recipes that will be different from what you and your friends may be accustomed to. Maybe you are a Southerner who had to leave God’s country for somewhere else. This might help you get “some food for the southern soul,” as I have heard it said. First up is a Low Country Boil or, as we call it, Beaufort Stew.

Please feel free to contact me with any comments, questions, or suggestions. I look forward to spending some time with you.

Bill Gause

wgause2285@aol.com

South Carolina Low Country Boil

Or as we call it “Beaufort Stew”

            This is a great “communal” food, meaning it is good for a group standing around a table grabbing their share of this delectable dish. Beaufort Stew consists of Shrimp, Corn, Sausage, and Potatoes. First, a little history. Originally, in South Carolina it was known as Frogmore Stew. Just outside of Beaufort (pronounced Byewfurt and located between Charleston and Hilton Head Island, down Hwy 17 S) S.C. there is a small area named Frogmore. It is on the way to some of the quaint barrier islands on the SC coast. As an aside, after you pass through that area you can go out to St Helena’s Island and further out to Land’s End. The land actually does end and you will look out over a body of water called the Port Royal Sound. Across the Sound, you can hear the marines training at Parris Island. On the other side of Parris Island is Hilton Head Island. At night, you can see the lights of Hilton Head from Land’s End. 

          Most natives of the area pronounce Frogmore, “Frogmo.”  At one time, Frogmore had a US Post Office. The US government closed the post office a few years ago and does not recognize Frogmore as a town any longer. However, you still hear people in the SC Lowcountry say "Frogmo Stew" instead of Beaufort Stew.

            Southern Living magazine did a story on the origin of Beaufort (Frogmore) Stew a few years back. They interviewed a man who said he started it when he and some of his friends were at his mother’s restaurant in Frogmore. After eating there so often, they were bored with what was on the menu. He said they went in the kitchen and picked out what they liked. They grabbed a big pot, added some water and beer and boiled the ingredients, one by one. Then they drained the liquid from the pot and poured the mix on the table for all to eat. I do not know if that is true but it sounds reasonable.

           

These are the ingredients for Beaufort Stew:

Raw Shrimp (shell on, the heads can be off)

                     (26 – 30 Count works fine) (Count means how many Shrimp per lb)

                     (plan on 12 - 20 shrimp per guest)

Red Potatoes (Use small reds or cut larger ones in half or quarters)( 1.5 tater per guest) 

Corn (sweet is best, prefer fresh over frozen cobbettes)(Cut in half)(1 large per person)

Sausage (smoked, spicy, or Andouille work best)(Cut to 2" size) (6-12 pcs per person)

Beer (optional)

Old Bay Seasoning (comes in bags or loose grounds)

The boiling process takes about 30 minutes. Plenty of time for socializing and fellowship. 

Take a nice size pot and fill halfway with water. Pour 1 beer in the pot. Put 1 bag or 1.5 cups of Old Bay in the pot. Bring to a boil.

Place all potatoes in the boiling water. Boil for 10 - 12 minutes.

Place corn in pot and boil for 10 more minutes.

Add sausage (which is already cooked so you are just warming) and boil for 5 minutes.

Finally, add all of the shrimp. This will cool the pot, so you need to let it come back to a boil. The shrimp will be ready in about 3 minutes (a bright pink). Pull one shrimp to test. Shell should be easy to remove. Do not cook shrimp too long or they will be "rubbery".

Note: This is actually served dry, not as one would think of a stew with broth.

Drain the pot in a large colander. If you are using a burner and a pot with a basket, lift the basket out of the pot. Pour the Stew in a bowl or pan and put out for your guests. A lot of times, we cover a table with newspaper and pour the stew right on the table for all to share.

The shrimp and the sausage are the first to go. Make sure you get to the table early. I've seen the first plates loaded with shrimp and sausage. You don't want to be late to the table and find only corn and potatoes.

Enjoy!