By guest contributor Katie Morford, MS, RD
When it comes to the “Big Game,” the subject of what to eat at halftime can feel just as pressing as what goes on at the 50-yard line. Few game-day foods elicit more passion and debate than barbecue. Enthusiastic home cooks spend weeks working on their spice rub, days priming the smoker, and hours basting their brisket. That’s all well and good if cooking food low and slow is your fancy, but for busy families, it’s hardly necessary for a spread worthy for the big game.
Take these Chipotle Raspberry-Glazed Ribs as a perfect example. The recipe is simple, but the result is a lip-smacking pile of ribs that will make you want to double dip at the buffet. First off, the glaze: it’s just five little ingredients. Even better is the fact that it’s naturally sweet, with none of the corn syrup or artificial ingredients you might find in a store-bought sauce. The simplicity of the glaze owes in large part to the chemistry of pairing raspberries with chipotle chiles en adobo. The frozen raspberries deliver a wallop of flavor (not to mention vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants), while the chipotles lend smokiness that is essential for any good barbecue.
Part two of the magic in this recipe is cooking the ribs in an Instant Pot rather than the more traditional grill or smoker. The result of using an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot is that it can transform a rack of ribs into fork-tender succulence in 30 minutes, flat. When the ribs are done, you pull them from the pot and reduce the liquid into an umami-esque glaze that gets lacquered onto the ribs and set under a broiler until bubbly and brown.
Once your ribs are underway, the next question becomes what to serve alongside them. There’s no doubt that barbecue is decadent, so it’s smart to bring some balance to the buffet in the form of a crunchy slaw or salad. This Festive Kale makes a perfect counterpoint, as does this Red Cabbage Raspberry Slaw. As for dessert? A game-ending touchdown by your favorite team would do nicely, but these Raspberry Chia Almond Butter Cups would make a winning finish as well.
Get the recipe for the Instant Pot Chipotle Raspberry-Glazed Ribs here.
Five little ingredients. That’s all it takes to make a crave-worthy barbecue sauce that gets lacquered onto tender baby back ribs. The flavor of the glaze is thanks in large part to the natural sweetness and tang of frozen raspberries in combination with the smokiness of chipotle chiles.
About the author: Katie Sullivan Morford is a food writer and registered dietitian with a passion for bringing good food and good nutrition to the plate. She is the author of two cookbooks: Rise & Shine: Better Breakfasts for Busy Mornings and Best Lunch Box Ever, which was nominated for an IACP award for best family cookbook. Her third book, PREP, is due to be published in 2019.
Katie has written and developed recipes for a number of publications, including Real Simple, Bon Appetit, Family Circle, Parents, Self, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the New York Times. She teaches cooking and nutrition classes and develops recipes, always with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and bringing ease to the everyday table. She is also the voice behind the popular blog Mom’s Kitchen Handbook, which features recipes, nutrition advice, and weekly meal plans for busy families.
Katie has an undergraduate degree in English literature and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and three daughters.
