…no one gave him much respect because he was a convict. Coming out of prison he faced a lot of obstacles, but he didn’t let any of them stop him.
“I was a convicted felon,” he says. For that reason, “there’s always going to be people who are going to close doors on you. But my desire not to fix my wrongs, make my parents proud, to be around to raise my children,” is what kept him going Henderson said.
Now, he’s doing something else greater for the community: showing people how to cook healthier. On his new show, Flip My Food, Henderson flips” the favorite dishes of award winning chefs, celebrities, and everyday people to make a healthier version that’s just as mouthwatering.
Take his fall-off-the-bone Molasses Braised Short Ribs for example:
Ingredients
1/3 c. canola oil
1 ½ rack of spare ribs, cut into individual ribs
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 small carrots, roughly chopped
3 medium celery stalks, rough chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
2 tbsp. whole black peppercorns
3 tbsp. tomato paste
¾ c. red wine
1 herb bundle: (2 bay leaves, 2 thyme sprigs and 1 rosemary sprig)
6 to 7 c. low-sodium beef stock
1 c. canned diced tomatoes
1 c. cane syrup
Directions
1. Heat half the canola oil in cast iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season ribs with salt and pepper and sear on all sides. Remove ribs from pan and set aside.
2. In the same Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, jalapeño peppers and black peppercorns. Cook until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir thoroughly.
3. Pour red wine into pot to deglaze. Reduce by half and add ribs, herb bundle, stock and tomatoes. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat to a low simmer for about 1-1 ½ hours or until ribs are tender, but not falling off the bone.
4. Remove ribs from pot; set aside and strain cooking liquid. Add cane syrup and cooking liquid to a saucepan. Reduce by half and stir consistently.
Stack ribs on a plate and spoon sugar cane sauce over ribs. Serve with potato salad or French fries