Bar-b-que!

Low sodium and gluten free are seldom associated with barbeque. As much as Art loves it, many sauces include soy sauce, modified food starch (code word for "probably contains gluten") and often, the meat is brined prior to cooking, sometimes up to 24 hours! The brining process increases tenderness and moisture content of the meat and is usually considered a must for smoked meat. So, how to get the best tasting meat without all the sodium, keeping the meat nice and tender and then providing an excellent sauce to give the meat that extra zing? Would it pass the taste test of my very discriminating food critics? We would see...

I have to say that I was inspired while watching the cooking channel to try this idea. This adapts beautifully to slow cookers, but I prefer my enamled Dutch oven. I use it whenever I can. It was a gift from my folks and I enjoy using it so much for all kinds of roasting tasks. So if you have a nice, heavy duty pan like this, it's perfect for the job. Be sure and retain your juice after cooking. It makes a great sauce and you'll be using half of it for another recipe that follows: Barbeque Pizza! Yee Hi!

Bar-B-Que Spare Ribs

2 lbs spare ribs, cut into individual ribs (we prefer pork)
1 can low sodium tomato sauce
1 can low sodium tomatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 dashes Liquid Smoke
1-2 tsp Mrs. Dash
fresh crack pepper
3 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chilli powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder

Place ribs into large pan, such as a Dutch oven or crock pot. Mix other ingredients and pour over ribs. Place lid on pan, and place in a 350 degree oven for 1 and a half hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool  for approximately 15 minutes with lid on. Remove ribs and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove half of the sauce to serve on ribs, and reserve half the sauce  and some of the meat for the next recipe.

Serve with a homemade slaw of red and green cabbage, green onion, cracked pepper and apple cider vinegar with one tablespoon honey or agave nectar and either low fat sour cream or mayo. Allow slaw to chill in the frig for about an hour before serving. This allows the slaw to tender a bit, and the flavors to marry well. I also love to add a bit of horseradish in with my slaw dressing. Goes great with the ribs, and these ribs are tender and meaty, and relatively low fat.

Bar-B-Que Pizza

2 cups Domata Pizza Flour
1 cup water
Reserved sauce from the ribs
Reserved meat from remaining ribs
1/2 cup jalapenos in a jar (use fresh if you want some real heat)
1 cup shredded mozzarello cheese reduced fat
1/2 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese reduced fat
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup reduced sodium marinara or tomato sauce

Mix Domata Pizza Flour with water, using a fork to mix slowly. When ingredients begin to incorporate, add a dusting of the Pizza Flour to the dough and knead ingredients for four or five times. Press dough into a pizza pan or oblong cooking tray. Using a fork, pull the tines through the reserved meat from the ribs, shredding the meat as you do. Place a layer of meat across the pizza dough, and pour sauces over the meat. Add jalapenos and corn, and finally top with the two kinds of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, or until cheese has melted and has begun to turn golden. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before cutting with a pizza cutter. Serve with a drizzle of ranch dressing on each slice. Yum. And not too bad on the fat and sodium, I might add!