By: Linda Lawler
Every summer at the Sawtooth Valley Ranch we put together a hearty and delicious lunch or dinner -depending on how long the branding takes -for those who participate in this ranching tradition.
This year I decided to cook a main dish I have always wanted to make: short ribs. My husband and daughter love to order short ribs when they are on a restaurant menu. So, the pressure was on to make short ribs that met “their standards” and reward a hard working crew.
You want short ribs to be nice and tender, so you need to cook them for at least 4 – 5 hours (for 4 – 6 lbs) in the oven. The key is sourcing the best quality beef, which isn’t hard to find in the United States. And making a homemade sauce in my book does make a difference.
For the side dishes for The Working Ranch Branding party I decided to pair up two classics: homemade coleslaw and Ranch Beans (the name on the can). My neighbor, Donna-Marie, made some apple banana bread. And to quench everyone’s thirst I make a large container of Arnold Palmer’s (or as they say in my neck of the woods – Swamp Water) half peach ice tea and half lemonade. Since the branding takes place in the middle of summer I made one of my (and my family’s) favorite summer time desserts: Frozen Lemonade Pie.
The Recipe
WR Short Ribs — Serves 6 (I ended up having to double this recipe for my crew)
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
• 4-6 lbs short ribs
• 2⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 1 t paprika
• ½ t garlic powder
• 1 T cider vinegar
• ½ t chili powder
• 2⁄3 cup ketchup
• 1 T mustard
• 2 T molasses
• Salt and pepper
2. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl
3. Arrange ribs in a 9 x 13 baking dish seasoning with salt and pepper
4. Pour the sauce over the ribs and toss.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and roast in oven for 4 – 5 hrs. (depending on tenderness)
6. Remove foil the last 30 min.
Homemade Coleslaw
• 6 cups of shredded green and purple cabbage (can add some shredded carrots too)
• A small bunch of chopped green onions
Dressing
• 1 cup of mayo
• 2 T cider vinegar
• 2 t black pepper
• ½ t salt
• ½ t sugar
1. Toss the dressing with the salad and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Frozen Lemonade Pie
Crust:
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup of white or brown sugar
• 7 T unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
• 1 6-oz can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Make the crust in a med. bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 6 minutes; cool completely.
3. To make the filling: in a cool med. stainless bowl whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust. Freeze overnight or for about 6 hours.
4. When ready to serve let the pie stand for 5 min before cutting. Optional: top with mixed berries.
Linda Lawler, flanked by her two assistants, Carolyn Hillgren on her right and daughter Katie on her left, worked very hard to create a spectacular late afternoon lunch for the WR crew and neighbors.
