Brazilian Coconut Rotisserie Ribs with Piri Piri Relish

Rib Date: April 20, 2013

Ribsters: Kim & Barry Wiss, Eric Jorgensen, my mother-in-law Maureen visiting from Scotland and Stults family.


Brazilians seem to get a few things better than most: Giant statues of religious figures, flesh eating fish, waxing, and cooking meat.  I've never been to Brazil, but would like to visit.  That's a pretty good list, but for the man eating fish.  I did have pet piranhas in college.  Watching those things devour an ugly bubbly eyed goldfish was a fun Friday in Pullman.

These ribs marinate in a sauce consisting of puréed peppers, onions, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, lime juice, coconut milk and cilantro.  Yummy mixture.  Build a fire.  Thread the marinated ribs on a spit and watch them rotate for an hour and a half while enjoying an adult beverage.  Baste and top with slightly spicy yet very favorable Piri Piri relish and you have a tasty dinner. 

I was battling a very strong wind that had the flames dancing like it was Carnival, but I persevered.

The Brazilian Coconut Rotiserrie Ribs were enjoyed with a fragrant rice and good local wine.

Ribster comments:

"First bite was rib perfection; amazing texture.". Me

"Goes great with rice.". Son Riain, who may be part Asian.

"Best low oxalate ribs ever.". chef Kim Wiss. "Delicious, tender, cool over the open fire, where the juices rotated evenly over the meat."

"Zesty; not overpowering," Eric Jorgensen.

"They were lovely.".  Maureen.

Bottom line:  Really good ribs, but the Huli Huli ribs on the rotisserie were better, quicker and easier.  So much so that we've already repeated that recipe a couple times.

Next up: Sauerkraut-Braised Ribs with Smoked Beer BBQ Sauce. 

(All recipes from Steven Raichlen's book "Ribs, Ribs, Ribs.")

Huli Huli Ribs

Rib Date: March 2013

Ribsters: Stults family and Eric Jorgensen

Disclaimer: I grew up in Hawaii.  I see the words "huli huli" I my mouth begins to salivate.

"Huli" means turn.  So, it doesn't take a genius to figure out huli huli means turn turn.  Or, rotisserie.

About a year ago I got an Australian Spit Roaster as a gift from the family.  The "Auspit" is a battery operated rotisserie that you can pretty much use anywhere.  Make a fire.  Pound the Auspit into the ground.  Put on meat.  Switch on Auspit.  Drink beer while meats turns.  Eat meat.  Life is good.  A bacon-wrapped pork loin on the Auspit is food porn.

The Huli Huli ribs fall into the food porn category as well. 

The ribs get covered in a rub comprised of salt, pepper, garlic and ginger.  Thread 'em on rotisserie, let 'em spin over flames and occasionally baste 'em with a teriyaki glaze and about an hour and half later you have food magic.  Simple but amazing.

We ate the Huli Huli ribs with rice, of course, and had a nice bottle of Pinot Noir because light red wines go great with teriyaki.  Duh.

Ribster comments:

"I LOVED 'em." My daughter Eilidh

"I loved the sugary soy sweetness and how the sauce caramelized over the flames." Wife Gillian.

"I liked them.  They weren't spicy and the sauce was good on the rice." Son Riain, aka Mr. Teriyaki.

"Really good ribs.  I liked them.  They were tastier than Kuipo with far less fat.". Eric Jorgensen making a funny yet gross comparison to his chubby former Hawaiian girlfriend.


Mahalo for the ono ribs recipe Steven Raichlen.  These ribs will return to my rotisserie often.

Grilled "True" Baby Back Ribs with St. Barts Seasoning

And we're back.  Miss me?  Didn't think so.  I didn't miss you either, my dozen followers.

I have actually grilled, smoked, and rotisseried ribs since my last post a half year ago.  (A half year?  I'm a little behind).  Some highlights therein include a forthcoming Huli Huli Ribs recipe done over open fire (awesome), McGiver ribs done with inferior equipment on a butt cold day for my brother-in-law's birthday in Scotland this summer (rocked 'em) and breaking in my Mom and step-father's new Weber with baby backs in West Virginia, following a red-eye no less.  So yes, I've been busy in general (hence a six month absence) and been rib-busy as well.

Picking up where we left off...

One of the many things that keeps me busy is coaching my kids basketball teams the first half of each year.  After a game this past winter, I'm guessing late February, we had the coach and kids from the opposing team over for ribs.

Grilled "True" Baby Back Ribs with St. Barts Seasoning

Rib Date: February 2013

Ribsters: Stults family, Frommelt family, Wickersham family and Francis Davin

Even though Sean Wickersham's undefeated basketball team beat us that day, we invited him and Julie and his good guard daughter Devon over for dinner.  We're cool like that.  We were joined by my assistant coach extraordinaire Paul Frommelt and his brood, as well as Francis Davin, who's helped me coach both our sons' and daughters' teams for many years.  Good peeps all.

Unfortunately those fine folks got bad ribs.

Most of the recipes in Steven Raichlen's book, "Ribs, Ribs, Ribs" have been winners.  But, like my basketball team that day, "Grilled True Baby Back Ribs" were losers.

These Caribbean-inspired ribs were kinda tough and chewy.  They are grilled like the name implies.  Before hitting the grill, they marinade for a few hours in a mixture of tomatoes, Ginger and garlic, with added spices.  Then grill over direct heat for about 40 minutes, flipped halfway, and, voila! you have tough, chewy ribs.

We served these icky ribs with red beans and rice to keep the Caribbean theme going.  We drank wine because that's how we roll here in Napa. 

Comments from the ribsters:

"The rice and beans were nice." - Sean Wickersham

"Not exactly fall-off-the-bone tender." my wife Gill.

Then, after more wine, "I must be getting buzzed.  I like these; Simple flavors.- more Sean W.

"I liked everything about them, except the ribs." - Leslie Frommelt.

"I've had better; these could be worse.  Rustic." - me.

That about sums it up.