Sorghum-mustard glazed ribs

The other day, a friend of mine commented about how hard it was to recreate barbecue without a yard. She’s a recent arrival to New York City from Texas and like many of us, she was shocked by the constraints we have in our tiny kitchens.

Now, I realize I was just talking about this recently, but it’s especially apparent this time of year when most everyone I know from back home is talking about firing up their smokers or sitting on their front porch snapping peas. These are the moments that you miss.

(Of course, there’s also that point in a Texas summer when it gets so darn hot that you might not even want to leave the safety of your air-conditioned house. But that’s another topic for another day.)

In any case, one of the things my friend commented on was how different it was to make ribs in the oven instead of in a smoker or on the grill. It is different, but that said there was an article in The New York Times a few years ago that argued oven ribs are superior to grilled ribs. For many, those were contentious words, but when you don’t have a grill you take whatever solace and support you can get.



Our conversation gave me a craving, so I swung by the store and picked up some racks to prepare for dinner. I have a couple of different ways I like to make my oven ribs. But as I was cleaning out my refrigerator and found a bottle of sorghum syrup hidden in the back, I thought it would make for an interesting glaze. (Why was the syrup in the refrigerator? Well, I’d stuck it there to keep it safe from ants. Again, another topic for another day.)
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zucchini slaw

One of the toughest things about living in New York City is the lack of any outdoor space. During the winter when the city is cold and wet, you don’t miss it so much. But now that it’s summer, there’s nothing I like better than sitting outside on a warm, breezy day.

Of course, there are plenty of parks in New York, along with a beach that’s an hour train ride away—not everything is cement and steel. But there’s something to be said about having your own space, and besides the fire escape outside my bedroom window, I have no outdoor space to call my own.

Because I don’t have a yard, I also don’t have a grill or a smoker, which means my knowledge of outdoor cooking is purely based in theory and not in practice. That said, I do have friends here who do have outdoor spaces and they are kind enough to invite me over when they have backyard barbecues. As I don’t like to show up empty handed I have to say that I’ve become quite adept at side dishes and portable desserts. And heck, while I love to gnaw on a smoked rib or tuck into a fatty smoky piece of brisket, I’m just as inclined to get seconds on the coleslaw or potato salad, too.



People are often surprised when they visit Texas for the first time and see people enjoying vegetable dishes. While it’s true most Texans love meat, Texas also has a rich tradition of farming and home gardening, which makes for a multitude of side dishes since after you harvest that patch of land you need to eat what you’ve grown.
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Chipotle-orange glazed drumsticks

There’s a scene in the movie “Hud” where Patricia Neal’s character offers an orange to Paul Newman. As she’s about to hand it to him she says, “Look it says ‘Florida’ on it. We grow ’em right here in Texas and they send them in from Florida. That makes sense, doesn’t it?” Paul Newman shakes his head and says, “Yeah.”

“Hud”, which is based on Larry McMurtry’s book “Horseman, Pass By,” is a tale about two generations of West Texas ranchers and their conflicting values—the new versus the old. That orange scene isn’t in the book, and yet it’s one of my favorite fictional conversations about Texas food. Indeed—why in the heck would you buy a Florida orange when they grow them in Texas?

Well, the film takes place in summer and that’s not exactly prime time for Texas citrus. Even though we’re accustomed to eating oranges year round, Rio Grande Valley oranges are only available November through March. So I’ve always thought that the summertime setting of the film might explain why the characters are eating Florida oranges when they’re in Texas. (That is unless there’s some deeper significance to the scene that my inner English major just hasn’t figured out yet.)



But yes, I realize it’s June so why am I talking about oranges? Well, the reason why I mention any of this is when I was flipping through this month's issue of “Everyday Food,” I spotted a chicken recipe that had baked thighs slathered in an orange glaze. It looked appealing, and when I went to the store not only were juice oranges on sale but also were drumsticks. With a few modifications from the original recipe, my dinner plans were confirmed.
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