You can still use your oven in summer. Just go low and slow
The saying “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen” sounds all well and good, but in the sizzling summer, kitchens are hot and we still have to eat.
Takeout or delivery for three months simply isn’t an option. How many times can you rework a store-bought rotisserie chicken? And yes, salads and slaws are great, but sometimes you want something a bit more toothsome. Let’s flip this adage, and take the heat, rather than yourself, out of the kitchen.
Sous vide is an option, as are multi-cookers such as the Instant Pot. Both, however, involve special and not-inexpensive equipment. What about using what’s already available?
Low-temperature oven roasting was a serious revelation for me. Typically, roasting is a fairly high-heat affair, and it enhances flavour through caramelization and browning on the surface of the food, a process known as the Maillard reaction. Slow-roasting takes the temperature down to 300 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. We all think low and slow for braised meats in winter, but it can work in summer, too. And slow roasting keeps the kitchen a heck of a lot cooler. Sure, things take a lot longer to cook, but that can be an advantage. Since the temperature is lower, less moisture is lost, and that gives tender, juicy results. There’s also a whole lot of forgiveness with timing because it takes so much longer for your food to overcook.
Another way to keep heat out of the summer kitchen is to use a slow cooker. Sure, it involves special equipment, but the barrier to entry is exceedingly affordable, and if you don’t have one, you can pick one up at most major grocery stores. Opening the door on a cold night and being greeted by the inviting smells of stew from a slow cooker can be a dream come true. But winter is not the only time a slow cooker is useful. On a steamy hot night, it’s just as dreamy to be met with those dinner aromas along with a cold blast of air conditioning.
Rainy-Day Ribs
When it comes to deciding what type of ribs to cook, you have basically two choices: spareribs and baby back ribs.
Spareribs are cut from the ribs closest to the belly and are meaty, bony and thick. Baby back ribs are cut from where the rib meets the spine. They’re only called “baby” because they are shorter and thinner than spareribs; they don’t refer to the age of the pig. Each baby back rib rack averages 10 or so curved ribs that are four to six inches long and weighs about 1½ pounds, which easily feeds two people as a main course.
Serve with Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce (see related recipe).
Make ahead: Rubbed with the spice mixture, the ribs need to sit for 30 minutes to one hour at room temperature, and then refrigerated overnight.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄4 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt
1 tbsp granulated garlic (garlic powder)
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp piment d’espelette, Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, or as needed
2 racks baby back ribs (2 3⁄4 to 3 pounds total)
Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce, for serving (see related recipe)
Use a fork to stir together the brown sugar, paprika, salt, granulated garlic, black pepper and your choice of red pepper in a small bowl. The yield is ¾ to 1 cup.
Coat each set of baby back ribs with half the spice rub mixture, rubbing it into the meat all over. Let them sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Place in a resealable plastic container or seal in plastic wrap. If you use the latter, make sure to place the wrapped ribs on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any seeping liquid, due to the salt in the rub. Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire cooling rack on the sheet. Grease the rack with cooking oil spray.
Unwrap/uncover the ribs and place them side by side on the prepared baking sheet. (If you have time, let them come to room temperature here.) Roast (middle rack) for about two hours, or until the ribs are done and a knife slides easily into the thickest part of the rib meat.
Let the ribs rest for about 10 minutes, covered loosely with foil, and then cut between the bones to separate the individual ribs. Serve right away, with the barbecue sauce for dipping.
Based on 6 servings: 560 calories; 38 grams fat (14 g, or 37 per cent saturated fat); 145 milligrams cholesterol; 1,290 mg sodium; 12 g sodium; 2 g fibre; 8 g sugar; 41 g protein.
Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce
With its peppery bite, this sauce works as a fine accompaniment for chef Virginia Willis’s Rainy-Day Ribs and for her Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Chicken.
Make ahead: The sauce can be refrigerated for several months.
Makes 3 cups
1 teaspoon canola oil
1⁄2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped 1 1⁄4 cups low-sodium ketchup
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1⁄4 cup Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tbsp packed light brown sugar Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook for five to seven minutes, until soft and melted.
Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar, lemon juice and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until the flavours have smoothed and mellowed. Cool before storing.
Based on 2-tablespoon servings (24 servings per container): 20 calories; 45 milligrams sodium; 5 grams carbohydrates; 4 g sugar.
Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Chicken
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts render this dish low calorie and low fat, but packed with flavour. You can make Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce to go with these, or you can use your favourite storebought brand.
This recipe calls for a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.
Makes 8 servings
One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, plus their juices
1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tbsp Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton; sweet or hot)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or as needed
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 halves)
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper Hamburger buns or rolls, for serving
Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce (see related recipe), or your favourite barbecue sauce, for serving
Combine the tomatoes and their juices, the vinegar, honey, paprika, soy sauce, mustard and crushed red pepper flakes in the insert of your slow cooker. Add the chicken and season well with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for four-and-a-half to five hours, or until the chicken is falling apart.
Taste, and add more salt and/or pepper. Spoon onto buns or rolls and serve hot, with barbecue sauce on the side.
Per serving: 170 calories; 3 grams fat (1 g saturated fat); 85 milligrams cholesterol; 310 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrates; 6 g sugar; 26 g protein.