I love a big family wedding.
And since I hail from a big family, weddings are DE rigor these days. Last week my niece, Cassie, and her boyfriend Mike of three years, walked the walk in Pittsburgh and uttered those two infamous little words, “I do.”
Since Elvis didn’t travel with me, I spent a little time pre-trip cooking easy-to-reheat meals. Disclaimer, I didn’t make him Slow-Cooked Lager-Infused Country-Style Ribs and Kimchi Stone Ground Grits with Peanuts, but rather just the Slow-Cooked Lager-Infused Country-Style Ribs. Elvis draws the line at funky food or anything that sounds like a he could make a joke out of it.
Plus, the Creative Cooking Crew’s October challenge is “Cooking with Spirits,” which thankfully included beer.
It was after I made the Slow-Cooked Lager-Infused Country-Style Ribs for Elvis, I found Hugh Acheson’s recipe for Crispy Pork Belly with Kimchi Rice Grits and Peanuts in the November Food & Wine magazine.
Now Ribs were not the only meal I pre-made for Elvis, and when I returned to Kentucky from five days of fun with my family, to my delight, I found two leftover ribs in the fridge.
Here is my interpretation of Acheson’s recipe.
Slow-Cooked Lager-Infused Country-Style Ribs and Organic Stone Ground Speckled Kimchi Grits with Peanuts.
Of course having leftovers had nothing to do with the flavor of my incredible melt-in-your-mouth ribs, but rather the re-heating process for Elvis. Note to self: in the future, write re-heating instructions on the food containers.
Wedding optional.
Appetite required.
Cook’s notes: Ribs can be made ahead, but don’t wait (like I did) for five days to reheat them, unless you like really dry country ribs. Even though my Slow-Cooked Country-Style Ribs (dry rubbed, then doused with Stella Artois) fits the requirements for the October CCC challenge “Cooking with Spirits,” I’m more excited about the Kimchi grits. Pair Kimchi Grits with fried eggs or poached fish, (or poached eggs and fried fish), grilled chicken, or Crispy Pork Belly as described in Acheson’s original recipe.
Kimchi Grits
Serves 4-6
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup grits
- ¼ cup kimchi, finely chopped
- ¼ cup light cream
Bring stock and water to boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Add salt, then whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low. Cook twenty to twenty-five minutes or until grits are thick like porridge. Stir in Kimchi and cream. Keep warm while you finish making whatever you decide to make. Refrigerate any unused portions.
(This post is not a promotion or endorsement for Food &Wine magazine, McEwen & Sons, or Chef Hugh Acheson.)
“Wedding optional”, “appetite required” LOL. Grits look interesting but where’s the ribs cooked in lager recipe?
Joan, I didn’t have the time to post both!
This is definitely one of those “it sounds so weird it has to be good” recipes. Cream and kimchi is an odd couple to say the least. I will have to give it a try one of these days since I love grits/polenta. Fun entry.
Deana-one word about cream and kimchee: amazing! Thanks for stopping by.
Stick to your ribs meal and congratulations to the lovely couple.
Yes, plenty of walking after that one! Ha ha.
Thanks for turning me on to a new grits company, Maureen! I’m loving mine from Anson Mills but want more more more! Did the addition of kimchi give it a nice bit of umami flavor? What a great combination. Glad you had fun at the wedding too. PS: I thought your doggie was Elvis?
Not umami Diva-but just a hint of heat and more depth. Hubby is Elvis! lol
this looks so wonderfully delicious! awesome job on the challenge!
Jenn & Seth-you are too kind! I felt like I was cheating with the ribs thingy-because of the practical everyday use. But the grits were a delight. Thanks for always supporting me here.
Lager and ribs, perfect. And the kimchi grits sound interesting. Congrats to your niece.
Thanks-it was a great wedding.
I like grits however I can get them –
Me too Christo! I don’t eat tehm nearly as much as I used to. It seems like eons ago, but I used to make them in a 12-quart kettle seven days a week for ten years!