[CH] green's Ribs & 'Kraut

green (green56@PioneerPlanet.infi.net)
Tue, 29 Oct 2002 10:25:19 -0600 

green's Ribs & Kraut

32 oz Sauerkraut - two JARS or use fresh, or use the bagged.  DO NOT USE the
canned stuff.  YUCK.
1/2 TEAspoon caraway seed (I prolly use 1 teaspoon, or more...)
3 lbs bone-in, country-style PORK ribs
1/2 TEAspoon pepper (I use fresh ground and do VERY coarse)
Flour
2 TEAspoons paprika (I use two-three - maybe more...)
10 slices country-style, thick bacon (enuff sos there's one per rib)
1-2 yellow onions (I *do* use the hambooger onions in this!)
3-5 beef bouillon cubes
2 quarts water, or less...

Now, those are the ingredents, as far as I can figure...

Make up a flour/pepper/salt/paprika mixture - make so's nice and reddish,
but not too.  Dredge bacon in flour mixture and fry in butter or bacon
grease.  Set aside.  (Note:  you don't *have* to flour bacon, but doing so
does keep it nice and flat...)  Dredge ribs in same flour mixture and
sear/brown in bacon grease, removing to platter as browned.

Drain sauerkraut very very well, but do not rinse.  Line the bottom of a
glass "lasagna" pan with some of the sauerkraut, saving most.  Squeese in
all the ribs all nice and snuggley (about 8-9 ribs will fit; depends on
sizes).  Slice onions so that there's a slice per rib, and lay one slice on
each rib.  Place one slice o'fried bacon atop each onion slice.  Cover well,
so you can't see the ribs, with the remaining 'kraut.

Boil water and dissolve bouillon cubes.  Start with three, using more if
needed:  you want a nice rich colour, not a weak colour.  Add paprika and
caraway seed.  Add enuff paprika so very very richly red.   Nuke a bit so
the paprika's easy to blend into the bouillon water - taste.  You want a
good paprika/bouillon/caraway taste.  If too weak, add more of
whatever/whichever you need.  Pour over ribs/kraut, being careful you don't
end up with all your caraway seeds on top!

Cover with foil and bake in a very low (250 degrees F) oven for hours and
hours and hours.  Like two, three, four, or longer if you're busy.  Can be
uncovered like 1/2 an hour/hour before serving.  You'll know done when meat
falls off the bones and the house smells so good you're slobbering all over
the place and going crazy from the smell.  Note:  this can get sloppy and
bubble all over your oven...

Serve with homemade pumpernipple bead and butter.

green, CH #2156