Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs

I'm a huge fan of fall-off the bone, super tender beef ribs. My trick is to marinate them overnight with (I used an Asian pear purée and ground papaya mixture) to tenderize the meat. The following day, I cooked them, wrapped in aluminum foil, for several hours in a slow cooker. Lastly, I smothered them in barbecue sauce and place them on a barbecue grill.

July 4th isn't the same without beef ribs. I don't make them that often because I find it quite time-consuming and the result is pretty meager for the amount of work. What I mean by that is that there is very little meat falling off the bone. What can I say, I'm very greedy when it comes to eating meat! Purists will probably think it's wrong to par-boil or steam the ribs in a slow cooker because flavors are lost. But the slow cooker method guarantees that they turn out very tender.

Korean BBQ Beef Ribs

Even though the weather wasn't as sunny as I would have expected, we still used our barbeque grill this weekend. Specifically, we grilled 3 pounds of Korean-style beef ribs. We devoured and licked every piece until there were only bones left. I buy beef ribs at a local Korean store; you'll notice there are 3 types of ribs. I always choose the most tender one, which is the most expensive. In addition to the finest quality of meat, I always marinate the meat with a sweet tenderizer: Asian pear. I've used papaya paste in the past as well as buttermilk, but I find that the fruit purée adds a pleasant sweetness to the grilled meat dish.

I usually serve these with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice and pickled cabbage on the side. However, I would recommend eating them in moderation because of they're high in cholesterol.

Beef Pasta Sauce Recipe

Making delicious pasta is fairly easy; however it requires a few little tricks to ensure that the dish always turns beautifully. The pasta sauce is one of the key components. Today, I used ground beef, fresh ripe tomatoes, grilled zucchini, eggplant, Portobello mushrooms, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and fresh oregano. I bound all the ingredients together using pasta water.

This pasta dish is unpretentious, tasty and oh so simple.

Masala Burger Recipe

Here's a new take on the American burger classic! Spice up your traditional barbecue menu by adding flavors from India.

Masala burgers would make a perfect addition to your spread this Memorial Day weekend. They're a welcome change from regular beef burgers. I've made fusion burgers in the past, including keema burgers made with Indian-style ground beef. This time, I flavored hamburger patties with garam masala, ginger garlic paste, turmeric and red chili powder. I also changed the condiments; I substituted kachumbar (Indian salsa), my own concoction of raita (Indian yogurt sauce) and tamarind sauce for the ordinary ketchup, mayo, mustard and pickle relish.

Vietnamese Oyster Sauce Beef Recipe (Thit Bo Xao)

Dưa leo xào thịt bò ("beef stir fry with cucumber" in Vietnamese) is really tasty because the meat is so tender it melts in your mouth. The beef stir fry sauce is both sweet and savory; I combined oyster sauce, hoisin sauce and caramelized onions.

It's not the prettiest but it's perfect for a quick and easy meal. I used filet mignon that I sliced paper-thin. I don't cook often with cucumber but in this case, it added crunch to the dish. I also added zucchini, green onions and cilantro. You can serve the dish with bún (vermicelli rice noodles), but for me, nothing can beat beef stir fry with rice. Just add đô chua condiment (pickled carrots and daikon) and you'll have a complete, balanced meal in no time.

Note: Glossary of relevant Vietnamese cooking terms.

Bò = beef

Xào = stir fry

Cơm = rice

Dưa leo = cucumber

Thịt = meat