Fourth of July meals are a summer vacation staple, with parades, fireworks and afternoon get-togethers. But good barbecue is perhaps the most important ingredient of all. Can you imagine biting into a juicy rib with just the right amount of fat, flavor, spice, tenderness and smoke?
Whether small or large-scale, a Fourth of July barbecue usually involves the basics: burgers and hot dogs on the grill; corn cobs; mashed potatoes and coleslaw.
But if you’re looking to step up your barbecue game this year and serve up some serious ribs, we have a simple, no-nonsense, foolproof idea to do just that. Although barbecue is as American as apple pie and just as varied, you don’t have to be a world-class pitmaster to deliver great food to your picnic or Day gathering. of Independence.
Kevin Cornish, owner of KC’s Rib Shack in Manchester, wasn’t raised on a particular style of barbecue, “unless you can call Kraft original barbecue sauce burned on chicken a style,” Cornish says jokingly in a E-mail.
But he got hooked on barbecue after reading a story about All American Bar-Be-Que in Putney, Vermont.
“I’ll never forget arriving and seeing Curtis (the chef) outside under a tin roof, cooking ribs and chicken on a chain link fence that had been stretched over a barrel of 300-gallon oil that had been cut in half — the kind you’d find in the basement of your house,” says Cornish, whose restaurant has been one of NH’s perennial Readers’ Choice winners for more than two decades.
To baste his meat, Curtis used a mop dipped in a bucket of barbecue sauce, proving that anything is possible in the world of barbecue.
“I loved the food and the aura surrounding the barbecue. I came home from Vermont that day with a new passion for barbecue,” says Cornish.
According to Cornish, barbecue is simply taking meat that is normally considered tough and cooking it at a low temperature over a long period of time to make it delicious and appetizing.
The food at KC’s Rib Shack is the result of years of researching barbecue and perfecting its own style, influenced by many of the most common barbecue styles in the United States. Its brisket is Texas style and its pulled pork is North Carolina style. Their dry rubbed ribs, a customer favorite, are prepared Memphis style. For those seriously hungry for barbecue, their QQ Pladda comes with four different meats, two sides and cornbread, and serves up to three people.
If you’re new to barbecue, Cornish says not to worry: just focus on the essential ingredients: salt, pepper, meat and wood.
These two spices play an important role in the savory dish.
“I can make almost any piece of meat taste great with just salt and pepper. It’s what all the best barbecue joints in the country use. Basically, salt, pepper and maybe a little garlic, but that’s it,” says Cornish.
The cooking process is another essential element.
“The magic happens in slow cooking over low heat. I tell people who are just starting out to try a pork butt. Keep the temperature between 225 and 250 and cook about 12 hours for an 8 pound roast. Cook until the internal temperature of the roast reaches about 205 degrees. Let it cool a bit and it will literally fall apart in your fingers,” says Cornish.
If you don’t have a smoker or other type of barbecue, that’s okay too. A gas grill can work very well.
“You can even take packets of damp wood chips and throw them on the burner to create smoke, but I used to experiment with grilling with my gas grill all the time back in the day” , he said.
Regardless, the temperature should be kept below 250 degrees.
“I regulated the temperature with just one of the burners and put the food on the other half, away from direct heat. Put a small oven thermometer in the gas grill next to where your meat is to keep an eye on the temperature,” advises Cornish.
No barbecue would be complete without a generous serving of sides like creamy macaroni salad, fresh, crispy and tangy coleslaw, sweet corn on the cob, soft and chewy cornbread or any other side that tickles your fancy . The Cornish Coleslaw recipe includes shredded cabbage, dry mustard, sugar, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, and a few additional spices. Blend until smooth and refrigerate.
Photography courtesy of KC’s Rib Shack
KC’s Rib Shack Dry Rub for Ribs
A rack of ribs
1 tablespoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons of paprika
Sprinkle over ribs, shaking off excess. Cook at 250° for about three hours, or until tender when you turn between the third and fourth largest ribs. I take my fingers and push on one and down on the other. The two should move away from each other easily. Add more sauce if you like and cook for another five or ten minutes or eat them as is with maybe a little sauce at the table.
KC Cole Rib Shack Coleslaw
Two bags of coleslaw mix
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of sour cream
2 tablespoons of white sugar
2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
¼ tablespoon dry mustard
¼ tablespoon celery salt
½ tablespoon black pepper
½ tablespoon onion powder
Whisk until combined and smooth. Add to shredded cabbage along with some carrots and purple cabbage for color.
Recipes courtesy of Kevin Cornish, KC’s Rib Shack
