Thursday, November 3, 2011

Shredded Pork Ribs with Corn Cakes


People think of cornfields when they think of Iowa. I know someone who drove through the state this past summer, and she commented on the many, many rows of corn she and her husband passed.

But Iowa actually is a top pork producer, and so for this Saturday's Michigan-Iowa game I offer my famous-among-loved-ones shredded pork ribs. Serve them with corn cakes, and you've represented our opponent's state very well.

The ribs are cooked slowly in a crockpot, so they require virtually no effort. The corn cakes are easily made using a box of Michigan's own Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, produced about 30 minutes away from my kitchen.

What a great way to get into the spirit of this match-up!

University of Michigan at University of Iowa
Saturday, November 5
GO BLUE!!!


Shredded Pork Ribs with Corn Cakes

Ribs
4-5 pounds boneless pork ribs (8 ribs)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a 9"x13" baking pan with foil; lightly grease the foil.

Place the ribs into the prepared pan. Combine the remaining ingredients and sprinkle onto all sides of the ribs. Roast for 1 hour.

Sauce
1 12-ounce bottle barbecue sauce (your favorite one)
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce

Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour 1/3 of the sauce onto the bottom of a 6-8 quart crockpot. Place a single layer of ribs over the sauce, and continue layering sauce and ribs, ending by pouring the last of the sauce over everything. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Stir the pork to shred it and combine the meat with the sauce.

Corn Cakes
1 8.5-ounce box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, to grease skillet

In a medium bowl, stir together Jiffy mix, buttermilk and egg; let rest for 5 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and lightly grease with a bit of the butter. Pour batter with a 1/8-cup measure, and cook until set on the sides and golden underneath. Carefully flip the pancake and cook for 1 more minute.

To serve: Place 2 corn cakes onto a serving plate, and top generously with pork.

Serves 6-8.

5 comments:

Cranberry Morning said...

I love getting another great crock pot recipe! So delicious and SO EASY. What a combination!

Mary Sullivan Frasier said...

Mary, Mary, Mary! I've just GOT to stop coming here so early in the morning! I'll have to start flip-flopping breakfast for dinner and vice versa before long! LOL

These ribs look so succulent and downright melt in your mouth yummy... and the corn cakes are a fantastic idea! I would have never thought to use them like this!

It's no small wonder that this dish is one of your family's favorites! I have a feeling it's going to become a fast fave at our table too!

~M.

Andrea the Kitchen Witch said...

Cardamom in ribs? Oh yeah!!! I love cardamom :) And Jify cornbread is a MI thing, no way!! That would explain why we always had Jify cornbread and blueberry muffins when I was a kid. This entire meal looks amazing!! GO BLUE (and by blue I mean GREEN LOL)

Unknown said...

What about Nebraska?? :) I thought we were NE was the corn capitol!! lol
Love this dish.. the ribs, the corn cakes.. everything. Oh, how I would devour that whole plate!

Candace said...

What a great combination with the ribs and the corn cakes, Mary! I don't think I've ever had a corn cake before. It looks delicious and so simple with the corn muffin mix. Love Jiffy cornbread! Thanks for sharing your recipes! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend! By the way, your photo is awesome!


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