Fireside Grill’s juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs are a local favourite – and now you can make your own, right at home.
Managing Partner Tim Petropoulos shares his tried-and-true method for the perfect baby back ribs, passed down through the generations in his family.
When Tim’s father, Jimmy, first immigrated to Canada, he worked as a Chef for Hy’s Steak House and he soon realized that a good steak and mouthwatering ribs are Canadian favourites. When he finally opened his own restaurant, he had managed to tweak and perfect the family rib recipe to make it a restaurant mainstay.
While the exact blend of spices used at Fireside Grill is a trade secret (sorry!), following the restaurant’s cooking technique will guarantee flavourful, melt-in-your-mouth ribs that your friends and family are sure to love.
Start with the Right Meat
Fireside Grill uses baby back ribs, which they like to source locally whenever possible.
“You’re looking for a good fat to meat ratio,” Petropoulos says. Look for ribs on the smaller side, where the bone isn’t too large or too small.
Prep with Spices
The next step is to rub the ribs down with a generous amount of spices or seasoning.
While you won’t be using Fireside’s exact in-house spice recipe, Petropoulos recommends using a type of seasoning salt that is mixed with sugar. There are many great rubs and seasoning salts in our local markets that work well.
“Rub it in really well,” he says.
Sear on the Grill
Once seasoned, place the ribs on the barbecue grill to sear on both sides.Browning the ribs slightly on the barbecue helps to draw the spices into the meat and seal in the juices. Once they have the desired colour, transfer the ribs from the grill to the braising pot or pan.
Cook Low and Slow
Ribs can be braised either on the stovetop or in the oven in a braising liquid. Fireside Grill uses a homemade braising liquid made from in-house barbecue sauce, balsamic vinegar, malt vinegar, tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery and stock.
“Braising stock can be used multiple times, it adds more depth of flavour,” Petropoulos says.
Tightly cover the pan containing the ribs in tin foil and cook them on low heat for three to four hours.
Cooking low and slow gently breaks down the meat, which is the key to making juicy ribs.
“You want to make sure the meat is tender, and that comes from braising,” Petropoulos says.
To check if the ribs are ready, take a rib out of the braising liquid and lift it from the middle. If the meat breaks off the bone slightly, you know the ribs are done.
Remove them from the heat and let them cool inside the liquid.
The rib preparation part of the recipe is now finished.
While the braising aspect of the recipe is crucial, it can also be a lengthy process, so patience is key.
Thankfully, the final cooking step is relatively short.
“Rib preparation can be done in advance of the day of cooking or entertaining, so that’s a nice way to ease some pressure when you’re hosting,” Petropoulos says.
Once the ribs have been braised and cooled, they can be stored in the fridge or even frozen and set aside for another time.
If you are making ribs, it’s a great idea to consider making a double batch — one for now and another to be frozen and enjoyed at a later date. Trust us - it’s worth it to do this.
The Finishing Touch
The last part of the recipe is the quickest.
Once the ribs have cooled and been removed from the braising liquid, slather them front and back in barbecue sauce.
They can then be cooked in either the oven or on the barbecue.
For the oven, cook them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Adding a small amount of water or stock to the bottom of the pan will allow for the ribs to heat with steam so they maintain their moisture and it also allows the sauce to caramelize.
If you’re planning to use the barbecue, place the ribs on the grill until the sauce caramelizes.
Ribs can then be served as a main course for dinner or chopped into pieces for appetizers. Adventurous types can also deep fry them to create dry ribs.
To learn more about Fireside Grill, view their menus or make reservations, please visit www.firesidegrill.com.
