Tasty Roasted Ribs

 The holidays are here and the nyama choma season has officially begun. This is the time when goats and chickens become a must item, if not the only item, in most homes. This Christmas we show you how to prepare finger-licking roasted ribs for your loved ones.

 

Ingredients:

1 (3-rib) standing rib roast (3 to 3 ½ kg)

1-tablespoon kosher salt

1½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mustard horseradish sauce (see recipe)

 

 

Cooking directions:

(Cooking time: 1 ½ – 1 3/4 hours)

 

Two hours before roasting your meat remove the meat from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 2600C and place the oven rack on the second lowest position. Ensure your oven is very clean before setting it at 260oC.
Place the roasted meat in a pan large enough to hold it comfortably, bone-side down, and spread the top thickly with the salt and pepper. Roast the meat for about 45 minutes.
Without removing the meat from the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 16o C and roast for another 30 minutes.
Finally, increase the temperature to 230o C and roast for another 15 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meat is 51o C (ensure the thermometer is exactly in the centre of the roast) or is cooked to your liking.
Remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil and allow the meat to rest for 20 minutes. Carve and serve with the sauce. Serve with Ugali, roast potatoes or a dish of your choice.

 

Mustard horseradish sauce

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups good mayonnaise

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 ½ tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/3-cup sour cream

 1/4-teaspoon kosher salt

Mix together the mayonnaise, mustards, horseradish, sour cream and salt in a small bowl and serve with the roast.

 

 

Kitchen Tips

Christmas is a time of celebration and sharing quality time. Time spent in the kitchen preparing food for family and friends is one of the great pleasures, but if people keep popping in the kitchen by the time the festivities begin you are too worn out to enjoy. But with these few tips you can have a stress free Christmas cooking.

 

Draw up the menu now. One guaranteed way to create stress is through procrastination. Draw up menus for all the meals you plan to make over the Christmas holidays well in advance, including drinks and snacks. Starting this task early gives you time to look at new ideas, Christmas recipes and change your mind or amend if circumstances or guest numbers change. Ensure that you read the recipes again and again. There is nothing worse than realising on Christmas Eve you are missing a vital ingredient, cooking equipment, or worse, you don’t know how to cook the meal. If there are dishes to be made in advance and frozen prepare them one or two days in advance. Don’t be overambitious. Christmas cooking and all it involves is not a time to start experimenting with new techniques. If you have never made bread, now is not the time to experiment.

 

Shop early. Shopping is one of the biggest tasks at Christmas time. To simplify the task make a master-shopping list of everything you will need, including any new cooking equipment.

Divide the list into perishable and non-perishables and buy them as early as possible. Many online wine and drink companies sell wines in mixed cases and will recommend wines suitable for Christmas dishes. Buy perishables a day or two before and store them in the refrigerator or in a cool, frost-free place.

 

Delegate tasks. Delegating a few tasks especially in regard to preparing food (peeling the potatoes and peas, cleaning utensils) will help ease the pressure. Surprisingly, many people do like to help and share the fun in the kitchen so don’t be afraid to ask for some assistance. When in a cooking marathon, use sticky notes clearly stating what role each person should do. Plan your time well so that the cooking and any other tasks are done properly. Start with the most important jobs and don’t forget to create time for yourself. Have time to relax and enjoy the meal as well.

Have a merry Christmas!