I met Sherryl through my wife Lynn. They worked together at a tech company, Sun Microsystems, here in the Boston area 30 years ago. Actually Sherryl was Lynn’s boss. She must have been pretty good to Lynn because they have been friends ever since, long after parting ways professionally. Our history with Sherryl involves company Christmas parties, “Sun Girl” reunions, weddings, and all sorts of get together over the years. So yah, she is pretty cool to hang with.
Sherryl loves food and is a great cook. She comes from a long line of firefighters (including her husband). So when asked to contribute a recipe to sizzle&STEM that has special meaning to her, we were not surprised when she sent me a firehouse specialty from her family.
I am proud that this is the very first “Friends of Sizzle&STEM” contribution. Thank you Sherryl, and thank you to all our first responders all over the world.
Here is Sherryl’s story behind Captain Gary’s LA Firehouse Ribs:
My uncle Gary was a fire captain / Chief for the Los Angeles Fire Department my whole life. He had different districts over time. I remember him leading the charge during the Watts Riots when I was young. He also always had large Thanksgiving Dinners at the fire station where the guys would cook for the families and then give all the kids rides on the fire trucks. That’s how I had a ride on the back end of a hook and ladder and actually got to steer it. His Son, Phil, became a firefighter and eventual captain for the Beverly Hills Fire Dept, and his daughter is married to a firefighter. Seems to run in the family as I married one also. They have all since retired.
He was known for these Spare Ribs because he could get them started and then go to fires and finish them when they got back. I have made these so many times over my lifetime. Now you can too!
Captain Gary’s LA Firehouse Ribs
Course: Main, or AppetizerDifficulty: EasyIt’s easy to double, triple, quad this recipe. Has been cooked for as many as 50 people.
Ingredients
1-3 racks Pork Ribs (large, not baby backs.)
2 12 oz bottles Heinz Chile Sauce
1 24oz Bottle Heinz Ketchup
3 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
3 TBSP Brown Sugar
2 Medium Onions (chopped)
1 TBSP Yellow Mustard
3/4 Cup White Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water (Rinse out the bottles and use water to capture all chili sauce and ketchup remnants)
Process
- Preheat oven to 325 Deg F.
- Place ribs in large foil pan on racks.
- Cook ribs 3-4 hours.
- While ribs are cooking mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Remove ribs to another foil pan without rack, add sauce.
- Raise oven temperature to 350 Deg F.
- Cook 1 hr turning every 15 mins.
- Enjoy with plenty of napkins!
Yippee! Love it