Finally, a good old newspaper recipe: Mrs. C’s Ribs hits it out of the park

[Mosca]

There isn’t a lot to go on; by the paucity of instructions, it looks like Mrs. C just assumes she isn’t dealing with idiots here, and that everyone knows how to make ribs. The directions refer to grilling, but she also has you basting with the water and vinegar for the last 45 minutes; grilled ribs are 20 minutes tops.

That sauce is going to rock. It’s simple, but gets some nice nuances from lemons and dark brown sugar. And notice, you don’t sauté the onions, you boil them. It’s going to be less of a grilled onion taste, and more of a sweet soup onion taste.

This recipe, being 40 years old, can benefit from modern knowledge. I’d rub those ribs with the vinegar, then salt and pepper them before setting them aside. But remember, the early ‘80s was when everyone was removing salt from everything. Those were the days of, “Why doesn’t my steak taste any good?”

Mosca approves of this. These are going to be good ribs. No one is overthinking anything. I can read years and years of experience here. I would make these ribs.

[Jim White]

Really cool. Thanks.

[texastweeter]

I should post the recipes I found in the attic of my grandmother house. I remember reading about field mouse pie...

[Mosca]

Oh geez, please do it. My favorite recipes start with “Select the finest chicken…”

[texastweeter]

One of the ingredients was 7-10 fat field mice skinned.

[JCBBQ]

There’s a podcast on the Mongol Empire that I like. Before Genghis Kahn created the largest empire ever on this planet, they were so poor that they’d make clothes by stitching the skins of field mice together. Bet they ate their fair share of field mice pie…

[TripleB]

Ah, those old newspaper recipes. I’ve got quite a few of them. One my mother use to make was ribs and sauerkraut. Still made by her kids. Ribs are just seasoned with salt and pepper. The kraut with caraway seeds and a chopped, tart green apple. Ribs roasted on top of the kraut. Served with mashed potatoes. Yum.

[Mosca]

I used to make that, but I’m the only one in the family who likes it.

[Cowboy Pepper]

Love it. My grandmother/great grandmother had recipe boxes full of newspaper and magazine column recipes. It's really interesting to look at really old copies of The Joy of Cooking. Modern one is ok, but the old ones are amazing.

[Mosca]

I had an old Prudence Penny from the 1930s. The chapter on chicken started with how to catch, kill, and pluck a chicken!

[nickgutnick]

What are red pepper seeds? Does that mean flakes?

[Mosca]

That’s what I think. Think about red pepper flakes from 40 years ago, they were flakes and seeds all together.

[tstalafuse]

The fact that is 40yrs old from way back in the 80's made me say, wait what? It hasn't been 40yrs since the 80's!... That just makes my old joints ache..

[Starsky]

I've never heard of rubbing ribs with vinegar

[N227GB]

I use this vinegar-based sauce as a mop on BBs.

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/barbecue-sauce-recipes/lexington-dip-bbq-sauce/

[Starsky]

I've used vinegar-based sauces before, but this sounds like rubbing straight vinegar on the meat

[captainlee]

Interesting about the onions. I was taught that boiling the onions raw in the sauce created a bitter flavor, always saute them first. Maybe the lemon has something to do with that. Looks good though.