Sam Houston’s barbecue sauce

For the ribs:
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 racks St. Louis ribs

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ medium yellow onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
4 dried chile pequins, crumbled
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 300 and line a large roasting pan with foil.

Mix together the salt, black pepper and cayenne and then sprinkle the ribs with the seasoning. Place the ribs meat-side up in the roasting pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hour.

While the ribs are cooking, make the sauce. In a medium pot, heat up the vegetable oil on medium-low heat. Add the grated onions, and while stirring cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Add the brown sugar, paprika and crumbled chile pequins. Mix together the dried mustard with 2 teaspoons of water to form a paste, mixing until smooth. Stir the mustard into the pot.

Bring the pot to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the lid and stir. Place the lid back on and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste and add salt.

After an hour and a half, take the ribs out of the oven, open up the foil, and spread both sides of each slab with the sauce. Place back in the oven, meat-side up, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take out the ribs and spread more sauce over them, and cook for 30 more minutes or until ribs are desired tenderness. 


At this point, place the ribs under the broiler and cook for 4 minutes or until the sauce is caramelized.

Thai Chicken Curry

Ingredients

1 (14 oz) can full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts

Additional, optional ingredients

 red bell peppers sautéed - optional, but recommended*
 Cilantro for topping
 peanuts for topping
 sliced green onions for topping

Instructions

Grease crockpot with cooking spray.
Whisk together sauce ingredients: coconut milk, peanut butter, red curry paste, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, chicken stock, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes directly in the crockpot.
Place chicken breasts on top.
Spoon sauce over the chicken, so it's fully submerged.
Cook in crockpot on LOW for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove chicken from the crockpot and cut into large, bite sized chunks. Place back into the sauce and stir to coat.
Serve immediately with sauteed bell peppers over rice. Top with chopped cilantro, crushed peanuts, and sliced green onions.

Thai Basil Chicken

Ingredients

3 to 4 tablespoons oil
3 Thai bird or holland chilies, de-seeded (if desired) and thinly sliced
3 shallots, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1 pound ground chicken
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth or water
1 bunch holy or Thai basil leaves

Instructions

In a wok over high heat, add the oil, chilies, shallots and garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the ground chicken and stir-fry for 2 minutes, breaking up the chicken into small bits.
Add the sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir-fry for another minute and deglaze the pan with the broth. Because your pan is over high heat, the liquid should cook off very quickly. Add the basil, and stir-fry until wilted. Serve over rice.