Braised Buffalo Ribs with Red Pepper Pesto

Featuring Chef George's succulent Braised Buffalo Ribs with Red Pepper Pesto from his latest cookbook, Modern Native Feasts

Credit: Arsenal Pulp

Chef George’s Braised Buffalo Ribs with Red Pepper Pesto

The Red Pepper Pesto adds both sweet-and-sour and bitter flavors to make these some of the most delicious ribs you’ll ever taste

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg (3 lb) buffalo ribs
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 30 mL (2 tbsp) canola oil
  • 500 mL (2 cups) diced tomatoes
  • 60 mL (1/4 cup) soy sauce
  • 30 mL (2 tbsp) brown sugar
  • 125 mL (1/2 cup) dark ale (Guinness)
  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 125 mL (1/2 cup) red pepper pesto (recipe included below)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
  2. Pat buffalo ribs dry with paper towel and season with freshly cracked pepper. In a cast-iron frying pan on medium-high, heat oil then brown ribs. Place in over-proof roasting pan.
  3. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, soy sauce, brown sugar, ale, oil, garlic, and pesto. Pour over ribs and bake, covered, basting every 30 minutes, until meat is tender and begins to fall off the bone with pulled with a fork, about 3 hours.

Beyond its use with the Braised Buffalo Ribs, this Red Pepper Pesto makes a great pasta sauce.

Pesto Ingredients

  • 6 red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
  • 30 mL (2 tbsp) olive oil
  • 30 mL (2 tbsp) chopped garlic
  • 500 mL (2 cups) fresh basil
  • 15 mL (1 tbsp) pine nuts
  • 80 mL (1/3 cup) olive oil
  • salt, to taste
  • groud black pepper, to taste

Pesto Instructions

  1. Preheat broiler to high.
  2. Place red peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Broil for 20-25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until charred. Place in a sealed plastc bag and let sit for 3-5 minutes to steam. Remove and peel off skin; after charring and steaming, it should peel off easily. Set aside.
  3. In a food processor or blender, process garlic until minced. Add basil and pine nuts, and process until smooth. Add roasted red peppers and puree. Drizzle in olive oil and blend again until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. If not using right away, store in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 monhts in ice cube trays to small portion containers.

About The Author

Chef Andrew George Jr. is a member of the Wet’suwet’en Nation in British Columbia. Recognized internationally as an indigenous culinary expert, Chef George develops Native menus for restaurants and hotels around the world. He is also a mentor for SuperChefs, a British Columbia initiative that educates youth about cooking, nutrition, and healthful eating at home. His personal focus is to continue aboriginal culinary traditions that are healthy and sustainable.

About the Book

Modern Native Feasts: Healthy, Innovative, Sustainable Cuisine is Chef George’s second cookbook. With an emphasis on sustainably sourced game, seasonal produce and legume, and locally grown herbs, this publication features over 100 recipes that blend traditional aboriginal cuisine with modern flavours and trends. Modern Native Feasts is available this November through Arensel Pulp Press.