| Tips on Cooking Racks from Chef Tracy Griffith |
From "DIY Cooking"
episode COK-120F |
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Chef Tracy Griffith shares information and some simple tips that make preparing racks easier.
- Racks are a restaurant specialty, but with a little know-how you can prepare and enjoy them at home. Racks come from the loin area (figure A), in the upper rib section of the animal, the area that also yields roast, ribs, tenderloin, Canadian bacon and chops.
- There are bones all the way through the rib roasts (bone, being a good heat conductor, helps the meat cook faster). To "French" a rack, you simply cut the bone carefully and grizzle off the end (figure B) so that bare bone is left sticking out -- this allows the addition of curly hats, flags, etc.
- For a crown roast, hold the rack up and form it into a circle (figure C). You can then stuff the inside and place paper decorations on the bone tips.
- It's important to baste racks while they bake -- most commonly with a bulb baster (figure D), a spoon or a brush. This will keep the rack juicy and moist.
- One way to self-baste a rack is to cook it fat side up -- this allows the fat to soak back into the meat.
- Michael Lomanaco shows how to wrap a rack of lamb with stuffing. You can purchase caul fat (figure E), the membrane from the lining of the abdomen of pork, to wrap in. Wash the caul fat, dry it and place it underneath the rack. Add stuffing, wrap the caul fat around it and bake.
- Chef Tracy suggests an alternative if you don't want to use caul fat: wrap strips of bacon (figure F) around the stuffed rack.
- Baby back ribs come from pork; spare ribs come from beef. Before grilling ribs, cut them apart, place them in a pot of boiling water (to which you can add fresh herbs, garlic, salt or any seasonings you wish) and parboil for approximately 10 minutes. Once the ribs have parboiled, remove them and brush on your choice of barbecue sauce. Rub with spices (figure G) and the ribs are ready to grill.
Special thanks to Pier 1 Imports. See Resources, below, for more information.
Website resources for Racks: Irish Rack of Lamb from Food TV.com Cranberry-and-Pecan-Crusted Rack of Pork from Food TV.com Stuffed Leg of Lamb from Food TV.com Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Scallion Crust from Food TV.com Barbecued Baby Back Ribs from Food TV.com We at DIY believe all of the recipes from DIY Cooking are accurate and reliable, but since we have not tested them personally, we can claim no responsibility if the desired results are not achieved.
RESOURCES :
USDA Meat and Poultry Hot Line
Talk to the big guns for official answers on defrosting, internal temperature readings and how long you can safely keep leftovers.
Toll-free: 800-535-4555
Website: www.usda.gov/fsis
Classic Cooking With Pork: Over 100 Luscious Ways to Prepare the Other White Meat
Model: 1550138766
Author: Philippe Molle
(1997)
Key Porter Books
Westport, CT 06880-2157
Fax: 800-565-6034
Email: service@fireflybooks.com
Complete Meat Cookbook
Model: 0395904927
Author: Bruce Aidells
(1998)
Houghton Mifflin Co.
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 617-351-5000
Email: tradecustomerservice@hmco.com
Cooking for Dummies, 2nd Edition
Model: 0764552503
Author: Bryan Miller and Marie Rama
(2000)
Web site for the Dummies books: www.dummies.com
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. (An International Data Group Company)
Foster City, CA 94404
Food Lover's Companion
Model: 0812015207
Author: Sharon Tyler Herbst
(1995, 2nd Edition)
Barron's best-selling A-to-Z guide is back and better than ever with 900 new listings and the most up-to-date information on culinary terms.
Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
Hauppauge, NY 11788
The Food Lover's Tiptionary
Model: 0688121462
Author: Sharon Tyler Herbst
(1994)
William Morrow Books / Hearst Books
Website: www.harpercollins.com
The World Encyclopedia of Meat, Game and Poultry
Model: 0754806022
Author: Lucy Knox and Keith Richmond
(2000)
Lorenz Books / Anness Publishing Inc.
Website: www.lorenzbooks.com
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