Spareribs

Here we go again with one of those foods that invites regional competition. You can make an extensive study of ribs: which cut to use, dry rubs versus wet sauces and their varying ingredients and method of cooking. In this case I am out of my league in the realm of barbeque, and am willing to forget about authenticity when I just want a simple way to satisfy a craving for ribs.

 

A slab of spareribs has 11 to 14 bones, usually weighs 2½ to 4 pounds of which about half is bone, and can serve 2 to 4 people, depending upon appetite. Good accompaniments are coleslaw, biscuits, and fresh corn on the cob if it’s available.

 

The sauce recipe is a very basic one to get you started. You can vary the proportions of ingredients, add chili power, onions, hot peppers, molasses, or anything you want. Can you use store-bought barbeque sauce instead? Sure.

 

SERVES 4

 

Ingredients:

3 to 4 pounds pork spareribs, with bones, in a slab

 

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup

¼ cup white or cider vinegar

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard

pinch of cayenne

 

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Instructions:

MAKE THE SAUCE:

 

▪ Heat the oil in a saucepan on low heat, add the garlic, and cook a few minutes until it starts to turn brown. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes until it thickens. Set aside.

 

COOK THE SPARERIBS:

 

▪ Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.

 

▪ Season the ribs with salt and pepper on both sides and place in a roasting pan meaty side up. Bake for 50 minutes to 60 minutes, more or less depending upon where your slab falls in the weight range.

 

▪ The spareribs can be finished either in the oven or on a grill. For the oven method, increase the heat to 400˚ F, and for the grill method preheat the grill.

 

▪ Leave the spareribs in the oven or place them on the preheated grill. Slather both sides of the spareribs with sauce. Cook for 10 minutes, then slather the meaty side with sauce again and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.

 

▪ Cut the slab into separate ribs and serve.