# Talk about being put on the spot



## pacanis (Sep 5, 2008)

This doesn't really fit in any other category as it isn't really a question, but it does concern food and cooking and if anyone wants to say anything, or not, feel free 

A while back I mentioned my neighbor getting a whiff of me searing some country style ribs on the grill. So after I was finished cooking them in my pressure cooker, I took him over a couple. He and his wife raved and said they would just bring me their ribs from now on (I had taken them some baby backs over Christmas that they liked, too). I said yeah, anytime.

Then last week I think it was, just for the heck of it I tried to see how many ribs I could cook in my PC. There was a topic on that I started. They came out great, but all the extra ribs apparently caused the cooking juice to rise in the cooker and they didn't have _quite that texture_ I was looking for when they cook above the liquid after a good sear.

So today over comes my neighbor with a "boatload" of country style ribs his wife had just boughten and told me to cook them when I get the chance.... whatever that means.... they weren't frozen, so I'm thinking "the chance" would be better sooner than later. I'm shootin' for Sunday, as he'll be home and I don't really want to get these going tomorrow. Reason being; I'll need to find an alternative cooking method for 3/4 of them. So tomorrow I will be trying my alternative cooking method that I haven't quite figured out yet  I'll thaw out a couple of my own that I just froze for the trial.

Sunday I will take what I can and cook them as before, well seasoned, seared, some kind of broth and BBQ sauce in the PC, but not as much liquid as last time. I think that batch will come out well enough, or at the least like they did last week, which was just fine.
The others I will have to cook based on tomorrow's ribs, which will kind of be a variance of that 2-2-1 method I used on some short ribs last winter, but shortened up some. I will season them like I do with the others and cook them over indirect with some hickory chips off to the side, but for just an hour. Then I will wrap them in foil with some Dr Pepper which seemed to work very well for the short ribs and cook for 1-1/2 hours, also indirect. Then uncover, sauce them up and put them over a flame to get a nice BBQ glaze on them and some color. That's what I'm starting with anyway. I may change things up come Sunday.

I just can't believe they gave me this many to cook. I don't mind and it'll be kinda fun, if they come out that is...., but it's a bit of a stretch from what I'm used to, especially because I can't cook them all the same way, the way they already had and liked. Not unless I buy 3-4 more pressure cookers 

So my weekend is planned


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## smoke king (Sep 5, 2008)

Hey pacanis, I was thinking about buying a whole hog.

Whats your mailing address???


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## LadyCook61 (Sep 5, 2008)

Come be my neighbor.  Seriously tho, I think they are taking advantage of you.


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## quicksilver (Sep 5, 2008)

Boy, if that ain't being  ish! LOL!


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## pacanis (Sep 5, 2008)

Sure, send it over smoke king 

Oh I don't think so, LC. I offered in the first place, he's always doing stuff for me where he works on his own time (just a couple weeks ago as a matter of fact) and I'll bet they ask me to sit down with them. Which may be the reason for all these ribs.


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 5, 2008)

Do they have a crock pot?? Get two pots going...at their house...teach them how...They furnish the beer.........

Have Fun!


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 5, 2008)

Uncle Bob said:


> Do they have a crock pot?? Get two pots going...at their house...teach them how...They furnish the beer.........
> 
> Have Fun!


  I agree. Tell them you would be more than happy to show them how to make them since you wont always be able to make them for them etc. They better invite you to eat. When I get caught in doing things like that I make it a joke and say something like.Ok, now this all you get or I will either have to charge you or open a rib shop and I REALLY don't want to work THAT hard so why don't I teach you instead? That way you can make em anytime you want.


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## smoke king (Sep 5, 2008)

Pacanis, you are truly one of the nice guys out there-they are gettin few and far between.

Good Karma to you-


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## pacanis (Sep 5, 2008)

smoke king said:


> Pacanis, you are truly one of the nice guys out there-they are gettin few and far between.
> 
> Good Karma to you-


 
Thanks. I appreciate that comment. I was beginning to think that I _was_ being taken advantage of, even though I will enjoy what I'm doing and my neighbor and I exchange favors all the time. Not that a little trepidation won't be in my thoughts as I'm doing this, but I'm sure the same thoughts run through my friend's mind as he's doing something I ask of him.
I kinda like the challenge and was even thinking of making slaw


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## Bilby (Sep 5, 2008)

Nice deed Pacanis!!  I think your neighbours may just not realise quite what they were asking of you with the amount they gave you.  Just tell them that the results are better in smaller batches.  It happens to me too, not with cooking (I don't offer!! LOL) but with other things.  Normally it is just a lack of knowledge, not an abuse of the offer.


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## deelady (Sep 5, 2008)

Wow, not thats what I call be neighborly!! Won't you be MY neighbor??
I really really really hope they DO invite you to join them, because that would just be awkward!
Good luck on them coming out to your liking, I can imagine the "Pressure" LoL get it... pressure.....anyways, good luck!


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## kitchenelf (Sep 5, 2008)

Yea, they just don't realize that you can't do that many at one time.  You could ask them if they need them all at once.  If they don't then tell them you will freeze the remainder and do them when needed, given a couple days advance warning.  

Yea, what smoke king said!


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## Anau (Sep 5, 2008)

How does that saying go "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day...."


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## sichuan dingdong (Sep 5, 2008)

*strange behavior*

i would make the ribs as best as i could this time. who knows, they may have something cool in return. they could be that generous. if they just consume them and only invite you to join them for dinner, that would be a red flag, they are just assuming you love to cook so much that it is fun for you and less work for them.
if the latter is the case there is still no reason to make enemies with them or be rude. just wait until they dump another huge task on you. do what you want with what is given. when they come by to collect their bounty simply infom them another nieghbor smelled the cooking, came over with some friends and ate it all up. of course they would understand being so generous and all.


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## Fisher's Mom (Sep 6, 2008)

I dunno if we really helped, pacanis. I think we all just decided we want to move in next to you!


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## attie (Sep 6, 2008)

Serves yourself right for being such a good cook,


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## GhettoRacingKid (Sep 6, 2008)

good luck pac.

what about getting a large stock pot and jsut doing the slow simmer when you have that many ribs?  Thats usually what I do.  and then I sear them on the grill later.


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## pacanis (Sep 6, 2008)

I want to stick with two methods I am at least a little familiar with ghetto, but thanks for the suggestion.
This will be good practice on someone else's food


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## kitchenelf (Sep 6, 2008)

ok pacanis - you know that cute little house down the street?  The one that's for sale...been on the market for awhile?????  Well, we've gotten together and bought it.  We'll all be settled in no time.  One small problem...the kitchen had to be turned into a bedroom/bathroom combo (you know - we NEEDED an extra one with what, 15 of us moving in) so we won't be able to cook.  I suggest you get a couple more pressure cookers...you may as well be ready.  Might as well get a couple more crockpots too!

Hey, I would do it too and I would love doing it...I've done it...especially when smoking something.


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## pacanis (Sep 6, 2008)

lol, OK, when the porch light goes on, the food's ready.
Bring your own plate.


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## kitchenelf (Sep 6, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Bring your own plate.



Really?  You want us to do all that work?  GEEZ...


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## deelady (Sep 6, 2008)

next he's gonna ask for everyone to clean up after themselves too...sheesh some friend!


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 6, 2008)

They should have at the very least called you first to see if you had the time and the desire to do it rather than just showing up with ribs. In my experience people that really like what you make rarely want to learn to do it them selves. After all it's easier to have you do it. I have had people want me to make burritos to freeze for them and even offer to pay me. I decline because it's a huge amount of work and they are just being lazy. Twice now I tried having a class for my neighbors, once how to make apple pies and another time how to make burritos. I would have enough ingredients so everyone could take several pies or burritos. Well needless to say they showed up with Bloody Marys one time and Margaritas the second time at 10:00 am. They didn't learn a thing and what was worse they took my perfect pies and my perfect burritos and left me with their half hearted bad looking attempts not to mention a big mess to clean up. I do not do this anymore when they ask for a class because it just turns into a big joke and a party to them after they have slammed down some drinks.
As they say " no good deed gos unpunished"


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## luvs (Sep 6, 2008)

talk 'bout cooking under pressure!!!
that's very kind of you, pacanis!!


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## pacanis (Sep 6, 2008)

Thanks, luvs. I'm looking forward to doing it. Like a sort of mini-challenge.


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## sichuan dingdong (Sep 6, 2008)

hi pacanis,
i guess my previous post was not of much real help. i do not have a pressure cooker and prefer the slow grill method. when i have a lot of ribs to fix and it rains on bbq day, i keep another option in my back pocket. i set the oven to 275 deg. salt and pepper the ribs leaving the racks whole. then brush the racks with a mixture of equal parts crystal hot sauce and standard bbq sauce. pop them in the oven for an hour or so depending on the type and thickness of the ribs. the long cooking time keeps them from being too spicy and the hot sauce cuts back the sugar content enough to just carmelize on the meat. the results will not be super tender and fall off the bone but sure make for some good eating. just be sure to have some toothpicks on hand when serving. good luck on your challenge.
SD


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## suziquzie (Sep 7, 2008)

That sounds like alot of fun Pacanis, I hope it's going well today!


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## pacanis (Sep 7, 2008)

It was fun! And now I'm finito, Benito! Errr, Suzi!

I just ran them over 30 minutes ago and surprised the heck out of his wife, What's this?! She, her daughter (24?) and daughter's boyfriend are going to eat good, because my neighbor was in town with his daughter's car for something  Seems she had no idea he had brought them over the other day for me to cook 
And she did ask me to stay, but I didn't. I was juggling between working, the game (GO BROWNS!) and.... something else..... drinking beer maybe 

I was only 9 minutes off on my timing, too, when I wanted the ribs on the grill to be done and when the pressure cooker ribs were going to be done, so that wasn't hard to align.

And yay me, one of the grilled ribs I started at 1:15 sorta fell apart 

Here's a shot after removing them from the foil pouch, where I had them simmering in apple juice and before I started to sauce them, after smoking them for two hours. I wish I had written down things, but cooking is more fun that way. I'm pretty sure I have my timing down now which is fine by me. No pic of the ones i cooked on the grill and PC. My bad. I should have taken a pic of the platter, but I was in the middle of things.
And the sauce I made up from Sweet Bbay Ray's regular, Bullseye regular, Frank's Hot Sauce, red pepper and honey. I _really_ wish I had written that down in proportions....

I made them a little slaw to go with them, too. Some creamy and some vinegar. Why stop when you're on a roll.

It was a nice day


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## suziquzie (Sep 7, 2008)

LOL, you spend happy kitchen time on ribs like I do with cookies!!!! 

Can't wait for Christmas..... 

Congrats!!


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## jkath (Sep 7, 2008)

kitchenelf said:


> we NEEDED an extra one with what, 15 of us moving in)


Make that 16...pacanis, feel free to move to socal any time!

I totally get it about the neighbor. We're the same way with ours. We do stuff for each other all the time and don't think twice. It's kind of like having family next door


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## suziquzie (Sep 7, 2008)

Just had an idea....

trade cookies for ribs?


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## pacanis (Sep 7, 2008)

LOL, I don't even want to get into making cookies, Suzi. I would eat the whole batch once they started turning out.


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## pacanis (Sep 7, 2008)

That's a virtual thought! Cookies for ribs/ribs for cookies


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## suziquzie (Sep 7, 2008)

you're ON!!!! 

I'll start now, can't promise the little peole won't snatch a few cookies....


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## luvs (Sep 7, 2008)

glad they apprecioated your meal. 
i appreciated your eggs!! just threw another onto my burger, delish!
thanks!


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## Barbara L (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm glad everything turned out, but I don't know if I should have read your posts today!  I am very hungry, and seeing the picture has really set my stomach to growling!  Wow, that looked good!  I am so hungry that I could actually smell and taste it!  I've got to wake James from his nap so we can go get something to eat!  I know it won't be as good as what you made though!

Barbara


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## Mama (Sep 7, 2008)

kitchenelf said:


> ok pacanis - you know that cute little house down the street? The one that's for sale...been on the market for awhile????? Well, we've gotten together and bought it. We'll all be settled in no time. One small problem...the kitchen had to be turned into a bedroom/bathroom combo (you know - we NEEDED an extra one with what, 15 of us moving in) so we won't be able to cook. I suggest you get a couple more pressure cookers...you may as well be ready. Might as well get a couple more crockpots too!
> 
> Hey, I would do it too and I would love doing it...I've done it...especially when smoking something.


 
Make that 16!


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## pacanis (Sep 7, 2008)

Suzi, I can't guarrantee a few ribs might not succomb to the cook either. They do tend to fall apart 

Eggs on a burger, luvs? I just saw a show where they cooked onions and shrooms, put them on a steak, cooked a sunny side up egg in the same pan and put that on top of everything. Beef and eggs is in my near future. Glad you liked my hens' eggs.

Barabara, I can't even begin to imagine the euphoria of when your trip is over, fun as it has been. You and James are going to enjoy being back home, home cookin', your own beds, your four legged family members.... thanks for giving my pic a virtual whiff 

Mama, you move in up the street too and I'll be bringin' a plate to your house. Empty of course. Filler up!


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## luvs (Sep 7, 2008)

i luved 'em, pancanis. so neat that your eggs travelled via discucookers from thier beginning!! 
tonite i'm boiling them. 
& yeppers, beef & eggs 'er a great combo!!!


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## MexicoKaren (Sep 7, 2008)

Wow, you are a swell neighbor...I'll bet they were so pleasantly surprised. Nice going, pac.


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## pacanis (Sep 8, 2008)

His wife was certainly surprised, Karen. And when I was telling her that there were two kinds of ribs and mentioned some were done like the ones I took over a couple weeks ago, you could see the expression on her face change. It went from surprise/thank you to remembering what those ribs had tasted like. Made my day  Cooking for myself, I don't get to see that look when something turns out


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## Barbara L (Sep 8, 2008)

Eat in front of the mirror!  

Barbara


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## Lynd (Sep 8, 2008)

You must cook em well to get an order like that in


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## MexicoKaren (Sep 8, 2008)

Lynd said:
			
		

> Its my bday soon, I would love a food hamper.



Oh Lynd, I want one too! I lived in England for three years (long time ago) and Harrods was definitely the highlight of any trip to London, especially at Christmas time. Hope you get what you are hoping for...


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## Jeekinz (Sep 8, 2008)

Pacanis, do you do windows?





j/k  nice ribs!


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## pacanis (Sep 8, 2008)

Jeekinz said:


> Pacanis, do you do windows?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 windows...... yeah, right 

Thanks


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## Mama (Sep 8, 2008)

Barbara L said:


> Eat in front of the mirror!
> 
> Barbara


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## DaveSoMD (Sep 8, 2008)

Pacanis, you are a prince among men.

Good Job with the ribs!!!


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## pacanis (Sep 8, 2008)

Thanks, Dave. I got my pewter warming plate back earlier and got the "review" from my friend/neighbor. I see a pressure cooker in their near future. He said the ones I did on the grill were good, but he wouldn't have the patience for them and was more interested in how I cooked the ones in the PC. And they were only seasoned, with no sauce on them. Go figure ...... 3 hour ribs, smoked, simmered, barbequed...... 1 hour ribs, seared and pressure cooked..... hmmm, I'll take the one hour ribs


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## luvs (Sep 8, 2008)

you're 'da man, pacanis!!!


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## pacanis (Sep 8, 2008)

Oh luvs.... I'm still wallowing in my self pity of being a Browns' fan after the first week of football  
BTW, did I mention I own a Harley and used to collect knives, even attended some combat handgun and knife courses?


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## DaveSoMD (Sep 9, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Go figure ...... 3 hour ribs, smoked, simmered, barbequed...... 1 hour ribs, seared and pressure cooked..... hmmm, I'll take the one hour ribs


 
Here's another method for you to try, it is one of 2 that I use for ribs.  These are what I call summer ribs. They require two things, a good spice rub and a good BBQ sauce. 

Work the rub into the ribs on both sides, place on a baking sheet, cover with foil and leave to sit in the fridge for 8-10 hours. Heat your grill for indirect cooking, wrap the ribs in 1-2 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil and grill for 1 to 1.5 hrs over indirect heat and keep the lid closed, no peaking unless you need to check coals.  Remove the foil and grill over direct heat, basting with the sauce for 20 -30 minutes or until done.


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## pacanis (Sep 9, 2008)

Thanks, Dave. Not having a true smoker I feel I am wasting a lot of time trying to impart a smoke flavor to them. Might as well skip that step until the day I have a real smoker and smoke them start to finish.


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## Lynd (Sep 9, 2008)

MexicoKaren said:


> Oh Lynd, I want one too! I lived in England for three years (long time ago) and Harrods was definitely the highlight of any trip to London, especially at Christmas time. Hope you get what you are hoping for...



I love getting food hampers, I always ask for them  
I haven't actually tried the Harrods one yet though, have you tried them?


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