The Dish: Chef Thomas Boemer

Born in Minnesota - Thomas Boemer's family moved to North Carolina when he was five years old-a change of venue that would change his life.

From fried chicken to barbecued pork, he fell hard for southern cooking, and would later make it the focus of his career. 

In 2012, he took over Minneapolis' award-winning Corner Table and in 2015 opened Revival featuring the beloved southern recipes of his youth, now with a second location in nearby St. Paul. 

Here are some of Boemer's signature recipes: 

Butter ribs

Ingredients

4-6 racks of pork spare ribs 

2 lbs. butter

1/8 cup hot sauce

1/2 cup celery salt

1/4 cup paprika

1/4 cup cayenne pepper

1/2 cup onion powder

1/4 cup garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon thyme

1 3/4 cup brown sugar

Directions

1. For rub, combine celery salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, allspice, thyme and brown sugar and work with fingers or whisk to fully combine.

2. Remove membrane from back of the rack of ribs with dry kitchen towel. Take half of rub and lightly coat the ribs on both sides

3. Smoke ribs at 225 degrees 3 to 5 hours on hickory. Hold the ribs half way with a large tongs. If the meat bends and breaks they are ready.

4. Rest the ribs tented with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. 

5. Melt butter, hot sauce, and ½ cup of rub together and pot in a pan large enough to be able to dip the ribs in.

6. Dip the racks of ribs in the butter mixture and season again with the dry rub.

Mac 'n' cheese

Ingredients

8 cups cooked cavatappi 

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon butter 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 cups aged white cheddar

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions

1. In a sauce pot combine all spices, butter, and flour. Heat to form a roux and slowly whisk in the cream.

2. When the cream fully thickens add the milk and bring back up to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 cup of the cheese. 

3. Season to taste. Add the cooked pasta and coat with the sauce. 

4. Turn out into your bake ware and cover with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Cook at 375 until golden brown and hot through the center. 

Donuts

Ingredients

1 lb. 2 ounces bread flour

2 ounces sugar

1/2 tablespoon salt 

1 large egg

½ ounce instant yeast

1/2 lb. milk

1/2 oz. molasses

5 ounces butter

½ lb. roasted sweet potato meat

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 cup cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Combine roasted sweet potato meat, milk, and molasses in a vitamix and puree until very smooth

2. Combine sugar, salt, yeast and flour in large mixer and on low speed add the sweet potato mixture. When fully in cooperated add the egg.

3. Add the softened butter and mix with paddle attachment until fully incorporated and the dough gains enough elasticity to be able to be worked into a large ball. 

4. Oil a pan or baking dish able to contain twice the dough's size. Wrap tightly rest in a cooler for a min of 4 hours.

5. Empty onto a floured work bench and roll to a thickness of 5/8 of an inch. Cut with 2.75 inch ring cutter for outside and 1 inch for the whole 

6. Place on a sheet pan with baking liner and wrap with plastic until ready to fry  

7. This should all be done while the dough is still cool as it gets very hard to work with when it warms up. Carefully drop in 350 degree lard turning every minute until golden brown and cooked through. Top with powdered sugar.

8. Combine cream, molasses, salt and vanilla in sauce pan.  Bring to a simmer and chill.

Green beans

Ingredients

3 lbs. green beans 

2 cups chicken stock

1 large yellow onion, diced 

6 ounces bacon, diced

1 lb. butter (separated in half)

2 tablespoons salt 

1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Heat ½ of the butter in a large Dutch oven 

2. Add onion and bacon and cook until onions are translucent and just starting to carmelize. 

3. Cook over med heat until beans are tender

4. Turn up heat and add the remaining butter and the red wine vinegar. Fold until butter is fully incorporated and season with salt and cracked pepper

Buttermilk biscuits 

Biscuit ingredients

2 lbs. white lily self-rising flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon salt 

1lb. butter

2 1/4 cup buttermilk 

Directions

1. Add all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl. Freeze and grate butter with cheese grater right into flour. Carefully fold in buttermilk into flour and butter mixture. The mixture should sparsely mixed. 

2. Flour work surface and turn out the dough. Lightly dust with flour and roll out to ¾ in thickness. Give the sheet a three fold and roll out to 1 ¼ thickness. 

3. Cut with 3in cutter and bake in a 400 degree oven aprox 10-12 min or until tops are golden brown

Rhubarb jelly ingredients

1 cup cut rhubarb

1/2 cup water  

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon chili flake 

1/2 teaspoon orange zest 

2 tbsp and 1 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin 

Directions

1. Bring chili, sugar, water, and orange zest to a boil.

2. Add rhubarb and cook until tender and chill.