Barefoot Contessa Does Ribs – West Hampton Style!
Yesterday I stumbled upon the usually reliable Barefoot Contessa (a.k.a. Ina Garten) making ribs. Thankfully my Tivo allowed me to skip through most of the travesty that was her sauce/marinade and grilling technique. I’m just not for the BBQ sauces with Asian flavors. But I guess I can’t be surprised considering she’s making ribs for the ever-so-authentic BBQ fans out there in the Hamptons. Apparently, without grated lime and ginger, it’s just not a sauce. (Remember when everything haute was Asian-fusion? Like, in 1997?)
Ina did get one thing right, though. She didn’t use Babyback ribs, but decided on ‘Country’ or ‘Country-style’ ribs. I like her direction, but I’m not a fan of Country-style. Hers looked almost exactly like spare ribs, but the Country-style ribs I can get are more like thin-cut pork with some bone in there somewhere. Usually it doesn’t go all the way through, and so you’re not getting the flavor benefits that you otherwise would. My advice: avoid Country-style in favor of spare ribs or ‘Gourmet’ babybacks.