Sunday, December 20, 2009

Ribs 101.1 - Class, we are making QUESADILLAS from LEFTOVERS

Remember this post for December 26th... Turkey leftover quesadillas taste almost as good as Rib meat quesadillas...

Good morning students, Take your seats and settle down, class is in session again.

In last semesters' class (OK, yesterday's post, work with me, it's a metaphor), we covered the basics of Ribs 101 - Class, we are making SPARERIBS !!!. This semester we are going to work with the leftovers. I made two racks of ribs a couple days ago. Two nights in a row, my wife and I enjoyed full meals of ribs. 4 or 5 bones per person is usually enough for a meal. We both also ate ribs for lunch (2 or 3 bones) and I even ate a couple for breakfast. Easily, the two racks of spareribs, just of the rib section, would feed 6-8 people. Make no mistake, I love ribs and would eat them as often as possible. But I also like to use the "flap meat" for leftovers. If words like "Flap Meat" and "rib section" and even the concept of "leftovers from ribs" confuse you, you are thinking those sad, pathetic, anemic Baby Back Ribs (great song, obviously has a press agent) and not the thick and juicy Cadillac of ribs, the Pork Spare Rib (half the price, thicker, meatier, juicier... in desperate need of a song and press agent). Take a refresher course, and read my original class post by clicking HERE!

This is a standard 9X13 casserole pan, filled with the leftover flap meat that I cut from the Rib section. This is what I will be making leftovers from. Notice the 4 different colors of the four sections (for ease of handling, I cut each flap section in half). Each one has a different type of wet rub/dry rub combination. I have a very spicy section, a sweet section, an Asian influence flavored section and a section that I just put my wife's favorite rub, a sweet cherry rub. You guessed it, I will be making a different leftover meal from each of these sections...

Quesadillas are among my wife's favorite snack/meals. So, for today's class, I grabbed the section that just has a rub, and no wet rub. In addition to pleasing my wife (top priority in all things), I chose this section BECAUSE it does not have a wet rub. The tortillas are thin, and lots of moisture will seep into the tortilla, making them gooey instead of crisp. Had I used a section that has a wet rub, I would saute the meat and pat dry with paper towels before adding them to the guts.

A major ingredient in quesadillas is cheese. Volume is important. You want to add enough cheese so that it melts and coats the meat and all the additives and makes it all stick to the tortillas. You can use the expensive specialty cheeses, and they will taste better. BUT, that gets expensive. Much as I would like to try a brie/stilton rib meat quesadilla, the cheapskate in me is going to use that bag of premixed, pre-shredded Mexican style cheese (at least it is advertised as fancy). I can buy a bag of 2 cups for $1.50. To use the better quality specialty cheese and get the same amount, I would be spending $10... I am cheap.

OK, Quesadillas are a great way to use up whatever you have in your fridge. Tonight, for mine, I had some ...
green onions (caramelized sweet onions would be great, "raw red onions with a snap to em would work great),
some mushrooms,
jalapeno peppers,
some spinach and
I highly recommend those sweet cherry tomatoes.

Whatever you can think of to put on a pizza, you can put into a quesadilla (pineapple, pepperoni, artichoke hearts, you name it).

Quesadillas cook fast once you start. Have everything chopped and cooked (the spinach) ready to go before you start on the cooking...

It is also important to heat up the meat. Dice up the flap meat about the size of a dime. Do your best to pull out any large bits of fat, tendons, etc, just leaving the good stuff. Also, you can pat dry the meat with a paper towel to remove some of the fat. Heating up the meat will make it easier to melt the cheese!

You can make these in a large skillet, or buy one of those silly expensive clutter magnet quesadilla machines, or...

I make mine on a large electric griddle. Mine is large enough to work with two tortillas at once...

I use a little spray on canola oil to help crisp them up. You can also use a brush to add a bit of oil.

Heat one side of the tortilla for abut 3 minutes, and turn over... and now it's time to goop up the guts of the quesadilla.

Cheese first, and then add whatever toppings you like, evenly spread around...

Add a layer of meat, and a top of cheese...

And to za za zing it up a bit, I added a drizzle of BBQ sauce. I have a wonderful sauce that has a sweet citrus flavor that will blend well with this combo...

Do all that quickly, as you don't want to burn the quesadilla bottom (soon to be top).

Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Take a big spatula and flip (fast). Cook the other side for the same 3-4 minutes...

Cut into wedges and listen for the...

OHHHHS and AHHHHS!!!

Rib meat quesadillas... Easily adapted for turkey, even (shudder) vegetarian or some simple hamburger. A great leftover consideration!

Class dismissed, but I do have a quick ad...

As I am writing this I have one of those news shows on. They just did a report on the WINTER STORM OF THE DECADE. They talked about the storm interfering with the final days of shopping...

Here's an idea, one that I used tonight as a matter of fact. No going outside, and a gift the griller in your life REALLY wants (no one really wants a sweater). Here's the sauce I used...

DATIL PEPPER SEVILLE ORANGE BBQ Sauce from Old St. Augustine. Also, all natural, no fat and very low salt. The company is based in Florida, and advertises itself as a local product user. Local grown oranges and a specialty local pepper are combined to make this unique tasting sauce. It is a vinegar based sauce that is really unique. I love good BBQ sauces, and try to match unique ones with something that accents their special properties. This mostly sweet sauce did a great job of mixing with the sweet rub on the meat, and the sweet cherry tomatoes. Really zipped it up...

BUT, it is from Florida, and is not sold commercially in Kansas. Where did I get a bottle you might ask...

I got this as a gift, when I cashed in a gift of BBQ SAUCE OF THE MONTH CLUB. Once a month, I get 2 bottles of sauce. I get to choose the sauce from dozens of rubs, sauces, hot sauces and jellies. If you are still needing a last minute gift for your grilling loved one, this is ideal! No shopping, easy to wrap (just print off their details page), and best of all, that holiday feeling will come every month when your goodies arrive!

Here are the details...

And now...
A snowed in and not gonna get out
gift giving idea for the griller in all of us...

And how, you might ask, does someone living in Kansas get a hold of these odd little specialty sauces - you might ask, mighten you??? This is the BEST idea I can share for a gift for the BBQ junkie on your list.

What would be better than a bottle of top quality, specialty regional BBQ sauce???
TWO BOTTLES OF SAUCE!

What would be better than TWO bottles of top quality, specialty regional BBQ sauces???
TWO BOTTLES OF SAUCES DELIVERED EVERY MONTH

What would be better than TWO bottles of top quality, specialty regional BBQ sauces delivered every month???
YOU GET TO PICK FROM DOZENS OF CHOICES WHICH TWO BOTTLES OF SAUCES DELIVERED EVERY MONTH

I am sure you have heard of those "of the month" clubs for things like fruit, cigars, panties and specialty beers. One of the major problems with the idea is you will pay for the months that are less exciting...
Suppose you love apples, but hate pears... In Fruit of the month, you still get a months worth of pears.
Suppose you love a pale ale, but you hate a stout... you still get that stout included in your package.
Suppose you love granny panties, but hate a thong... well, in that case, the panties aren't for you anyway... suck it up and wear em. Butt, you get the idea...

The excellent people at ArmadilloPepper.com have fixed this problem. They offer a "Create Your Own" Sauce of the Month Club!

Here's the deal...

"Receive 2 Gourmet items each month that will excite your taste buds! You decide what is included. Select any 2 items from Pepper Jelly, Hot Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Salsa and BBQ Dry Rub. You even decide if you want "mild" or "spicy".

Just like all of the products in their on-line Gourmet store, these items are tried and tested by a Taste Team before being selected for inclusion in the Monthly Club.

The "You Pick" Month Club is backed by our same 100% Satisfaction Guarantee as all of our other products. You can cancel at any time if you are not totally satisfied and receive a refund for the balance.

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Our "You Pick" Gourmet Sauce of the Month Club memberships are perfect gifts for:
* Anniversaries
* Father's Day
* Mother's Day
* Birthdays
* Christmas
* Or just about any gift giving occasion."

It's a close call whether I would rather have Jackie in fancy panties or me getting...

new hot sauces
or jellies
or BBQ sauces
or salsas
or dry rubs
or... It's like Christmas morning every month!

Click HERE to see what Armadillo Pepper is all about...

21 comments:

  1. I love quesadillas. They are so great for a clean-out-the-fridge kind of meal. Especially when you have leftovers that are as delicious as those spare ribs. I am salivating just thinking about them!

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  2. Those quesadillas!!! Holy yum!!! And such a breeze to put together! And you ... you crack me up. Always. With that wicked sense of humour! :)

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  3. Awesome! I am passing along this idea about using the rib's flap meat to my husband for grown-up style quesadillas. Quesadillas are my kid's favorite too-A great way to hide the veggies for them.
    Always, a great meal at your house. :-)

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  4. Love me some quesadillas too! I like the BBQ drizzle...reminds me of the first time I had St Louis BBQ Chicken pizza...gosh now I am really hungry! Saw the rib post, drooling over that one too...

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  5. Ohhhhh! Ahhhhh! Rib meat in a quesedilla...brilliant! I want a few.

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  6. I'm with Jackie - Quesadillas are one of my most favorite foods! These look really awesome. And I have never been a month of the club person except for the wine of the month club, but this one is one I would love too!

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  7. Great use of leftovers!!! they look super delicious with te melted cheese!

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  8. Anything with cheese and I am in - I am going to check out that sauce - I love the citrus note!

    Hope you don't get too buried in snow! :D

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  9. I love quesadillas....when I don't have tortillas, I make them with pancakes!!!! These look yummy though

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  10. I really would like to go to a potluck dinner attended by all of my favorite bloggers. What a wonderful feast that would be....you, of course, would be included... bring your grill.

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  11. You make a good point about the serving sizes for ribs. When I see an order for a full rack of ribs at a Q restaurant, it makes me wonder who the hell eats all that in one setting???

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  12. Rib meat in quesadillas sounds wonderful! I instantly became hungry reading this post. I'm really liking the idea of that sauce of the month club.

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  13. Great looking quesadillas! And a delicious way to use up those leftovers! Thanks for sharing your ideas with us!

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  14. Wow. Gourmet quesadillas, I think. These are something special!

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  15. I agree with your wife, quesadillas are also one of my very favorite snacks (or dinner)!

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  16. These quesadillas look so dee-lishious! I could go for one right now! And topped with that yummy sauce! Yummo! Thanks for the awesome recipe!

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  17. We eat quesadillas all the time at my house. These would definitely go over very well! Yum!

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  18. These would definitely be eaten up fast at my house! they look super!

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  19. Those look amazing...I love quesadillas!!

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  20. Great, now I'm craving quesadillas! They look fabulous!

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  21. This is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast - the whole works!

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