Hot Sides for BBQ Ribs?

[potsticker]

I'm drawing a blank.

So I just realized that I had somehow wound up invited 10 of my friends over for ribs on Saturday, and I have no idea what to serve with it. I also have no idea how much meat to get. What's serving size for ribs anyways?

BBQ ribs and....green beans? I'm trying to avoid cold foods because it's already supposed to be hecka cold this weekend.

So, culinary geniuses out there, help would be much appreciated.

[santo_grace]

How about...?

Mac and cheese

Corn bread

Cole slaw - cold dish

Baked beans

[Della]

Are you serving pork ribs or beef ribs?

[michael_g]

Definitely need some greens in there. Kale or collards are good -- hearty and wintry -- but chard is also great. This is a good hot alternative to cole slaw. I'd guess that slaw or greens, some kind of bean dish, and corn bread are the traditional pairings.

I like to do a less sweet rib, with, say, a powerful red wine, buttered brussel sprouts, and a couple of loves of hearty bread; cheese and a sweet white for dessert. Not exactly in the Southern tradition.

How much meat to get depends on whether it's pork or beef, but I'd go with anywhere between half a pound to a pound per person, depending on the sides and how serious people are about eating ribs.

[Okbrewer]

OK, you said 'Guys', right? And I'm guessing pork ribs? If so, for 10 guys I would probably do 5-6 slabs of ribs. If you are talking baby back ribs, I might even go a whole slab for each. Smoked, of course?

Now for the side dishes, first ya gotta have beer! I'll leave that to you, depending on what you like. For me, probably a Sierra Nevada Celebration, or closer to my home, a Basement Batch Pale Ale from Krebs Brewing.

Sides: BEANS! A big batch of bbq baked beans, duh! And then, TATERS! Here's a quick and easy guy style of potatoes: peel potatoes, dice into large chunks, place into large microwaveable vessel, add chopped onion, and some chopped green pepper, season with salt and pepper, add a stick of butter, microwave! Figure at least one potato (depending on size) per person.

BREAD, preferably home made, if not, get some crusty guy-style kinda bread to sop up the bean juice! Use real butter! And, maybe even have some honey handy, and not the kind of honey that might jump out of a cake, but that's up to you also! Speaking of cake, how about DESSERT!

Bourbon pecan pie! Make 2 or three!

Hope these suggestions help!

Bob R in OKC

Edited December 12, 2007 by Okbrewer (log)

[TheSwede]

Black beans with onion, garlic and crispy bacon bits, spiced with dried oregano, cumin and some hot sauce. My favourite BBQ side order ever.

Corn on the cob, pre boiled and then grilled. Coleslaw.

(...I'm getting hungry here...)

Edited December 12, 2007 by TheSwede (log)

[RAHiggins1]

Potato salad served hot ( I know it as German Style) with Bacon and vinegared.

Boston Baked Beans, slow cooked, brown sugar and molasses yumminess.

Edit* Gods of spelling strike again!

Edited December 12, 2007 by RAHiggins1 (log)

[ChefCrash]

Checkout this thread BBQ Sides.

[monavano]

I'm with everyone here..

Collards

Mac and cheese

baked beans

cornbread

cole slaw

potato salad

LOTS of wet naps!

[RAHiggins1]

I'm with everyone here..

Collards

Mac and cheese

baked beans

cornbread

cole slaw

potato salad

LOTS of wet naps!

←

You forgot BEER!

What time do I need to be there?

[potsticker]

Dang, I just now checked back in at this thread and I couldn't make it through without having to get a snack.

Great ideas, everyone! I've forgotten about mac and cheese - that's definitely going on the menu. And some kind of beans - TheSwede, that black bean dish sounds ridiculously good.

Feel free to keep 'em coming! It's the first time I'm having people over at my own place, so I'd like it to be memorable.

Oh, and by the way, pork ribs.

Edited December 12, 2007 by potsticker (log)

[MSRadell]

Definitely first on the list should be Beer!

Additional sides that I like with ribs are:

Coleslaw

A good hearty bread

Baked beans

Corn on the cob (if available)

Mac and cheese

New potatoes (boiled in salt then fried in butter)

I definitely wouldn't have greens, especially if it's a group of guys of course that's a personal preference.

As for how many ribs, I probably go for a rack per person to be safe, leftovers are always good and you don't want to come up short. As for cooking the ribs I'd remove the membrane put on a dry rub and wrap them up the day before (refrigerate overnight) than I'd smoke them at about 250° for about 3 hours applying a sauce for about the last half hour.

[duck833]

Definitely first on the list should be Beer!

Additional sides that I like with ribs are:

Coleslaw

A good hearty bread

Baked beans

Corn on the cob (if available)

Mac and cheese

New potatoes (boiled in salt then fried in butter)

I definitely wouldn't have greens, especially if it's a group of guys of course that's a personal preference.

As for how many ribs, I probably go for a rack per person to be safe, leftovers are always good and you don't want to come up short.  As for cooking the ribs I'd remove the membrane put on a dry rub and wrap them up the day before (refrigerate overnight) than I'd smoke them at about 250° for about 3 hours applying a sauce for about the last half hour.

←

I sounds like you have not much experience in cooking ribs.  I would do a test prior to Saturday to get your time and temps down.  Smokers vary.

[Doodad]

Mac and cheese

cornbread

green beans cooked with ham or bacon

brunswick stew

creamed corn

fruit cobbler

[JEL]

steamed oysters w/ trimmings while you cook the ribs......

bro's want to eat meat.......

plenty of beer for the win..

eat it all outside...........

no kitchen involved, let your buds pee in the backyard....as they eat...

always worked here in NC..

btw, if you have any pecan trees in your yard, let the guys pick em up, crack and eat....nothing better.....

[Jaymes]

You can't go wrong with baked potatoes and all the fixin's.

When I serve ribs, I usually bake some sweet potatoes, too, the same way that you bake regular potatoes. You serve them the same, way, too. Slice them open, shove in a few pats of butter, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, chopped green onions and bacon bits. If you have any maple sugar, set that out, too, and some people will shake a little bit of that on their baked sweet potato. There's a rib and steak place in Austin, Texas, that mixes up a concoction of butter, orange zest, brown sugar and bourbon to put on their baked sweet potatoes, so you could work up something like that, too, if you want.

Really good, and you'll get props for having something different.

[TheSwede]

...

And some kind of beans - TheSwede, that black bean dish sounds ridiculously good.

...

←

Thanks, I've tried to do a copy of a dish from a cajun/southwest/something resturant here in Stockholm.

This is how I do it at home:

Fry smoky bacon until it is crispy, set aside. Fry onion and garlic in a generous amount of oil (or the bacon fat if you are naughty..). Added rinsed canned beans and fry at low-medium heat. The idea is to get a "dry" surface texture on the beans, soft beans but no extra moisture in the pan. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, hot sauce etc. Add bacon bits, stir. Add finely chopped raw onion on top just before serving.

[RAHiggins1]

Definitely first on the list should be Beer!

Additional sides that I like with ribs are:

Coleslaw

A good hearty bread

Baked beans

Corn on the cob (if available)

Mac and cheese

New potatoes (boiled in salt then fried in butter)

I definitely wouldn't have greens, especially if it's a group of guys of course that's a personal preference.

As for how many ribs, I probably go for a rack per person to be safe, leftovers are always good and you don't want to come up short.  As for cooking the ribs I'd remove the membrane put on a dry rub and wrap them up the day before (refrigerate overnight) than I'd smoke them at about 250° for about 3 hours applying a sauce for about the last half hour.

←

I sounds like you have not much experience in cooking ribs.  I would do a test prior to Saturday to get your time and temps down.  Smokers vary.

←

That sounds like the menu for my kentucky Derby parties! add a pork butt smoked and pulled and a sauce made from the drippings and some chicken and sausages. Not to mention Mint Julips, Berry Mohitos, and Derby Pie.

[KLwood]

One that I got alot of comments on is a Vidalia Onion Pie Ofcourse any sweet onion will do, and I prefer to use Monterey Jack or Swiss cheese.

If you can deep fry, think about sweet potato chips or some stuffed fried Jalapenos or homemade beer battered Onion rings.

Another one that goes well with Ribs is Chipolte Smashed Potatoes

[Doodad]

Another good side is a baked Vidalia (since you got a hot smoker anyway). Wrap a peeled onion up with butter and your favorite seasoning in foil. Throw on and take off when nice and soft. About 1.5 hours on a smoker.

[Jaymes]

Another good side is a baked Vidalia (since you got a hot smoker anyway).  Wrap a peeled onion up with butter and your favorite seasoning in foil.  Throw on and take off when nice and soft.  About 1.5 hours on a smoker.

I'll second this suggestion. Wonderful.

[Katie Meadow]

Definitely need some greens in there.  Kale or collards are good -- hearty and wintry -- but chard is also great.  This is a good hot alternative to cole slaw.  I'd guess that slaw or greens, some kind of bean dish, and corn bread are the traditional pairings.

←

I second the few souls who have suggested something GREEN. Sounds to me like you have the carbs and starches covered and then some. It isn't unthinkable to have a crispy coleslaw AND a pile of beautiful greens! Don't real men eat vegetables? Here's what I made last night:

Buy two or three bunches of big curly-leaf kale. (I bought one bunch and my husband and I ate it all, but it would have easily fed three--or four if there was as much food as it sounds like you are making.) Wash it, trim off the biggest stems, and roughly chiffonade the leaves. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a heavy pot with high sides. Sautee the kale over med-low flame a few minutes til wilted (You will have to add it in bunches.) Add salt and pepper and maybe a shake of hot red pepper flakes. Throw in an ample amount of minced garlic, continue to cook another few minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn. Add a few T of water, cover, and cook over a low flame 10 or 15 minutes, checking to make sure the water isn't absorbed too quickly (add more if it is), and stirring every so often. Voila! At the end you can add just a little splash of balsamic or other vinegar, or not, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot or room temp or reheated. Yummy however. Wish I had some leftovers for lunch today.

[potsticker]

Don't real men eat vegetables?

Of course. Corn and potatoes are vegetables, right?

[MSRadell]

Don't real men eat vegetables?

Of course. Corn and potatoes are vegetables, right?

←

Ribs are counted as a vegetable and I think bread is too since it contains grain! (pigs eat vegetables so we also eat vegetables when we eat pig)

Edited December 14, 2007 by MSRadell (log)

[Jaymes]

I come from a "greens" family. We eat a lot of them, and love them. With ham, or pork chops, or black-eyed peas and cornbread. But I'm not sure that's what I'd choose if I were having ten guys over for ribs.

One thing I would suggest is Jiffy Corn Pudding. It's easy and it seems I never can make too much. There's almost never any left over and the men love it. And it freezes well, so often I intentionally make twice as much as I think I need just to stick an extra pan in the freezer.