By Jim Romanoff

When it comes to ribs, low and slow may be the mantra of the professional pit master. But it’s not the only way to go on the grill.

An easy two-step technique will yield tender and flavorful pork ribs in about half the time it takes to cook them using the traditional slow-cook method.

To jump-start the process, the ribs are gently simmered in a seasoned liquid before being grilled over indirect heat until the meat is virtually falling off the bones.

Here, baby back ribs are prepared with a homemade chili-ale barbecue sauce, which can be used for basting during grilling and served alongside, as well.

Barbecued ribs with chili-ale sauce

Start to finish: 2 hours (1 hour active)

Servings: 4

For the ribs:

1 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups water

2 pounds fresh pork baby back ribs or spareribs

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups chopped sweet onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

12-ounce bottle chili sauce

12-ounce bottle IPA beer or other light ale

2 tablespoons molasses

 1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste

In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, molasses, salt, pepper and water. Add the ribs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook, turning occasionally so the ribs cook evenly, until the meat begins to pull away from the bone, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain well.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add the onions and sauté until soft and lightly colored, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 3 minutes more.

Add the chili sauce, beer, molasses, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the sauce until reduced to about 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce. Measure out  3/4 cup of the sauce for basting.

Heat one side of a covered gas grill to high or prepare a fire in half of a covered charcoal grill.

Baste both sides of the ribs with sauce and place, meaty-side up, on the unlit side of the grill. Close the grill cover and cook the ribs for 10 minutes. Turn and baste the ribs periodically until they are well glazed and the meat is beginning to come loose from the bones, about 50 minutes.

Cut the ribs into pieces and serve with sauce on the side.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 844 calories; 514 calories from fat; 57 g fat (21 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 177 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrate; 40 g protein; 1 g fiber; 982 mg sodium.

Jim Romanoff writes about food for the Associated Press.

This intense 3-meat chili stands out in any spread

By J.M. Hirsch

For a day that’s all about the rough and tumble, you need a chili that isn’t afraid to play hard.

So I created a chili worthy of a tailgate party, a chili that can stand out in a spread crowded with high-flavor guacamoles, blue cheese dips, salami-jammed grinders and too-hot-for-your-own-good wings.

The chili starts with an intense base of toasted seasonings, some classics, some not — cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, smoked paprika, instant coffee, mustard powder, ginger and garlic powder. From there, I built up. First some oil and onion, then fresh garlic.

Once I had some serious flavor going, it was time to turn to the star — the meat. But why settle for just one? So I combined chopped flank steak, shredded pork tenderloin and — just for good measure — some ground buffalo.

Once the meat started to brown, in went the canned tomatoes, some liquid smoke, a bit of beef broth, a beer and a couple rinds from Parmesan cheese.

That last one isn’t an essential ingredient, and it really only works if you happen to have Parmesan rinds in the refrigerator (many people savethem). Letting them simmer in the chili (or any soup) adds an incredibly rich, savory flavor. Just before serving the chili, fish out and discard the rinds.

In deference to the various angry notes I’ve received over the years, I decided to leave beans out of this chili recipe. Personally, I like some kidney beans in mine. Apparently, lots of other people don’t. But feel free to add a can or two to this recipe if you swing that way.

All-or-nothing chili

Start to finish: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut into  1/2-inch strips

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

1 teaspoon mustard powder

 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large yellow onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground buffalo

12-ounce bottle Corona or other pale beer

28-ounce can diced tomatoes

14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Several rinds from chunks of Parmesan cheese (optional)

2 tablespoons lime juice

 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (more or less to taste)

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Sour cream, to serve

Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve

In a food processor, combine the pork tenderloin and flank steak. Pulse until chopped, but not ground. Set aside.

In a large, dry stockpot over medium heat, combine the cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, coffee powder, mustard, ginger and garlic powder. Toast the seasonings, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer the seasonings to a plate or small bowl and set aside.

Return the stockpot to the burner over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat, then add the onion. Sauté until the onion is just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

Add the chopped pork tenderloin and flank steak, as well as the ground buffalo. Cook until the meat begins to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the reserved spice blend, beer, both cans of tomatoes, beef broth, liquid smoke and Parmesan rinds, if using. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Discard the Parmesan rinds. Stir in the lime juice and hot sauce, then season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 390 calories; 110 calories from fat (28 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 111 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrate; 51 g protein; 2 g fiber; 649 mg sodium.

J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press food editor, is author of the cookbook “High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking.” He can be emailed at jhirsch@ap.org.