Seared Tuna from Pinpilinpausha in Santiago, Chile

Seared Tuna from Pinpilinpausha in Santiago, Chile


Seared tuna in a honey and ginger sauce with mashed potatoes and hot pepper

Atun laqueado en salsa de miel y jenjibre con ají y escabeche sobre puré

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Sweet Baby Rays Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs - Recipe

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

You have a slow cooker and use it to make all sorts of things like savory chicken, pot roast and stews. But did you know you can also prepare juicy, tender, fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs with it?

This recipe takes just minutes to prepare as the slow cooker does the rest of the work for you.

The ingredients are fairly simple, with a dry rub prepared for the ribs which are then cooked with a mixture of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce and Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout.

The combination of the liquid smoke and the smoked paprika give these ribs a smokey flavor without the need for a grill or smoker!

Slow Cooker Baby Bak Ribs Recipe

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs Ingredients:

• 2 racks of baby back ribs
• 1/2 onion sliced
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. liquid smoke
• 3/4 cup stout beer (Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout)
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs with Rosemary & Garlic Smashed Potatoes and Baked Mac & Cheese

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs Recipe:

1. In a small bowl, make the dry rub by combining the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion power, black pepper and salt
   
   
2. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs
   
   
3. Apply the dry rub evenly to both sides of the ribs. Save about 1 tsp. of the dry rub for later.
   
   
4. Cut the (2) racks in half to create 4 even sized smaller racks
   
   
5. Pour the beer into the slow cooker
   
   
6. Add the liquid smoke
   
   
7. Insert the 4 rib rack halves upright in the slow cooker if unit is 3.5 litters; insert the ribs flat for a larger liter unit
   
   
8. Add the onions and garlic on top of the ribs
   
   
9. Add the Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce atop the ribs
   
   
10. Cover the slow cooker
    
    
11. Cook on low for 8 hours (4 hours on high for less tender ribs)
    
    
12. Optional: If cooking for 8 hours in a 3.5 liter slow cooker, flip the upright ribs over so that the uncovered sides are on the bottom to cook for the remaining 4 hours
    
    
13. Optional: 15 minutes before serving, remove 1/2 cup of the cooked juice and place in a bowl to cool. The addition of the pork fat will make the sauce more thinner, so letting it cool and congeal for 15 minutes will allow the sauce the thicken for use.
14. Before serving, sprinkle a pinch or so of the remaining dry rub atop the ribs

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Happening in Santiago, Chile - Review

Bife de Ancho con hueso from Happening in Santiago, Chile

When looking to experience one of the better steakhouses in Santiago, Chile, one should consider a trip to Happening. The two-floor restaurant has a strong reputation for serving some of the best steaks in the city while providing a generally good ambiance.

I've visited Happening a few times over the years, first back in 2012 and a few times over the past 8 months. The food has remained consistent over time with some small variations to the menu. I have noticed that the capacity tends to be filled half of what it was in 2012, when the restaurant was  packed on a Friday or Saturday evening. There isn't as much a need for a weekend reservation these days. But this does not take away from the quality of the food.


When you enter Happening and sit down at your table, the wait staff is always prepared with the food and wine menus in hand. Upon sitting, they immediately make a recommendation for a starter, and propose an Argentinian grilled chorizo. It's refreshing to see the staff up-selling with an offer that is so fitting for an Argentinian restaurant. It was also refreshing that the wine list is available on their website, which is fairly uncommon.

The staff is equally as helpful when it comes to the wine selections. I ordered a bottle of a specific Malbec. The waiter returned and apologized that they did not have the bottle I ordered, but instead brought another bottle. Instead of using it as an opportunity to up-sell to a more expensive bottle, the waiter instead brought a less priced bottle because it was closer in taste to the specific bottle I had ordered.

As for the food itself, you can't go wrong with their beef offerings.

On my last visit, I ordered the bife de ancho con hueso, or a tomahawk steak (pictured above) along with creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. The quality of the beef was superb and it was an enjoyable meal.

Ojo de bife de Angus pampeano, reducción de vino tinto, con cake de aligot y escabeche de hongos from Happening in Santiago, Chile

During a previous visit, I've tried some of the house specialties such as the Ojo de bife de Angus pampeano, in a red wine reduction, with aligot cakes and mushrooms. When I'm at a steakhouse, especially an Argentinian restaurant, I tend to order a standard grilled beef meal. But I made the exception at Happening and it did not disappoint. The wine reduction and mushrooms paired perfectly with the ojo de bife and the cheesy aligot (potato and cheese mixture) cakes.

If you're one a steakhouse tour of Santiago, Chile, stop by Happening and give it a shot as it will not likely disappoint.

Ojo de bife from Happening in Santiago, Chile

Happening Restaurant Review Grades:

Atmosphere: B

Menu: B

Food: B+

Wine List: A

Happening in Santiago, Chile - Menu:

Happening in Santiago, Chile - Wine List:

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Guinness Stew from Flannery’s Beer House in Santiago, Chile

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Bacon Jam Recipe

On a recent trip to Iowa, I found myself falling head over heels for this tasty bacon concoction. It's really quite simple: it's bacon, onions, sugar and maple syrup cooked down into a tasty jam. 

Whether you're using in as a topping for cheese and crackers or as a way to add some extra flavor to mac' and cheese or a burger, bacon jam is something every bacon fan needs to try. 

It's so easy to make, there's no reason why you can't cook bacon jam today. Below is a proven recipe that will knock your socks off!

Bacon Jam Ingredients:

• 1 lb. bacon (finely cut into 1/4 inch squares)
• 8 shallots (minced or pureed for a creamier texture)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup sweet white wine
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

Bacon Jam Cooking Directions:

1. Cut the bacon into small pieces, into approximately 1/4 inch squares. Cook on medium heat in a saucepan until fully cooked. Remove the cooked bacon and set aside, while keeping the remaining bacon grease in the saucepan.
   
   
2. This recipe will use pureed shallots in a food processor versus minced. The shallot puree provides a creamier texture to the jam as the base, so that the only remaining solid ingredients in the completed bacon jam is the bacon itself, along with the finely minced garlic.
   
   In the saucepan with the remaining bacon grease, cook the shallot puree, constantly stirring for 15-20 minutes until fully cooked. If you are using minced shallots, then cook until caramelized.
   
   
3. Add in the garlic about 5 minutes before the shallots are complete cook at the medium heat
   
   
4. Mix in the cooked bacon, brown sugar, white wine (I use a sweet Late Harvest Chilean white wine), chili powder, liquid smoke and maple syrup.
   
   
5. Bring the heat to low and cook until the bacon jam has thickened and the liquid has been reduced. Cooking time will be approximately 5-10 minutes depending on what texture you are looking for.
   
   
6. Let cool for jarring or use it warm as the perfect topping for mac' and cheese, burgers, bagels or crackers.

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