My kids LOVE ribs.  I think they are second choice only to Chinese take-out if we tell them we are eating out.  I have been working on cooking them over the last few months.  The types of sauces, cooking methods and types of ribs are mind-boggling.

I have just started trying a bit of this and that to get a flavor that my children like.  This was one of those attempts.

Smashed potatoes are a family thing.  I am lazy sometimes when cooking (often!) and leave the skins on the potatoes while cooking and then I smash them with a fork when they are done and add butter, sour cream, parmesan and garlic.   These are the kids favorite potatoes.  They like the extra flavor in the potatoes compared to plain mashed potatoes.

Verdict:

The ribs were tender and juicy.  The sauce was a bit tart.  The adults loved the flavor the kids wanted something a bit sweeter.  But, they loved the sauce over the Smashed Potatoes and there wasn’t a bite of meat left anywhere.  I have already been asked to please make this again real soon.

I served this with a salad and a pea and carrot mix vegetable.

Ingredients:

Ribs:

• 2-3 lbs. Country Pork Ribs
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 6 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 300 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 casserole pan with aluminum foil in the bottom and then spray with non-stick spray.
2. Saute onion and garlic with olive oil over medium heat until garlic starts to brown slightly and onions begin to turn translucent.
3. Mix ketchup, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and black pepper in a bowl.   Add garlic and onions once sauted.
4. Place ribs in bottom of prepared 13×9 pan.   Pour sauce over top.
5. Cover pan with aluminum foil – sealed around edges.   Bake for one hour.
6. Remove pan from oven.  Remove aluminum foil and turn ribs over.  Return to oven for 25-30 minutes until ribs are cooked through.
7. Remove ribs from oven and let rest 3-5 minutes before serving.

Smashed Potatoes:

• 2 1/2 lbs. potatoes, cut into 1/8 ths and boiled until fork tender
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup fat-free 1/2 and 1/2
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Once potatoes are boiled, drain off water and return potatoes to pan.  Add sour cream, parmesan cheese, butter, half and half, salt and pepper to pan.  Using the back of a fork start to mix the ingredients into the potatoes while flattening them with the fork.  Continue stirring until all ingredients are mixed through and potatoes are desired consistency.
2. Serve a scoop of mashed potatoes with a rib over the top and drizzle some of the extra barbecue sauce over the top of the entire dish.