Sweet and Savoury Ribs
My butcher, Al Chater of the Pig and Olive, recently introduced me to traditionally raised (organic) pork. The meat is sweet and tender and tastes like something Gramma used to cook. I decided to try some side ribs….
Al scored the skin and cut the meat into individual ribs for me. I decided they needed special treatment. I dug around in the refrigerator and pantry and this is the recipe I came up with. All the ingredients I used were organic, with the exception of the tequila. If you don’t want to use alcohol, you could substitute apple juice or extra chicken broth.
The great part about this recipe was that I was able to prepare everything the day before and just finish the ribs on the BBQ before dinner. The ribs are sweet, but the savoury tang from the other ingredients prevents them from becoming cloying.
6 to 8 pork side ribs, untrimmed
4 stalks celery with tops, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
1 sweet onion, diced
1 apple, cored and sliced, skin on
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs flat leaf parsley
5 large cloves of garlic, minced and crushed
1 ½ cups chicken broth
½ cup golden tequila
¾ cup maple syrup
1 cup honey
2 tsp molasses
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Juice of one lemon
Sea salt and cracked pepper
First, I rubbed some sea salt and pepper onto the ribs and then I browned them on the BBQ. (You could use a frying pan with a bit of oil to brown them instead.) In the bottom of a covered oven dish, I put the chopped onion, sliced carrots, chopped celery with their leaves, the rosemary sprigs, half the apple slices, half the garlic and the flat leaf parsley.
I added a little sea salt and cracked pepper. I placed the browned ribs on top and put the remaining apple slices over the ribs.
I added the chicken broth and tequila to the casserole dish. I poured ¼ cup of maple syrup over the top. I put the lid on the dish and cooked them in the oven at 350F for 90 minutes. Half way through the cooking time, I took the pot out, rearranged the ribs, and added another ¼ cup of maple syrup. Then I returned the pot to the oven to finshe cooking.
When the ribs were braised, I took them out of the pot and set them aside on a platter with the apple and carrot slices. I strained the remaining solids through a sieve and reserved the cooking liquid in a pot. I brought the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce the volume by three quarters. It took about 30 minutes. I added the remaining minced garlic, maple syrup (¼ cup), molasses, honey, tomato paste and lemon juice. I stirred the ingredients until they were well mixed and reduced the heat to a low simmer. I simmered the sauce for an additional 30 minutes. The end product was a thick and sticky sauce. When the ribs had cooled, I covered them and placed them in the refrigerator overnight. When the sauce was cool, I put it in a sealable container in the refrigerator as well.
The next day, just before dinner was ready, I brushed the sauce on the ribs and BBQed them. I turned and basted them often, until I was sure they were heated through and had a thick layer of sauce caramelize on the outside. I served them with the braised apples and carrots, which I had reheated. I also made a side dish of steamed carrots tossed in extra virgin olive oil and fresh thyme. The other vegetable I used as a side was steamed asparagus. The meal was a huge success and a great way to celebrate those lovely, organic pork ribs!
P.S. These ribs still have the skin on them. I cooked them with the skin on because the pigs are very young and the skin adds tremendous flavour. We cut the outter layer of skin and fat off when we ate them. We found one rib per person was enough. They’re very satisfying.
Tags: Celiac Disease, food allergies, food intolerances, food sensitivities, gluten free, grain free, lactose free, legume free, Liana Brittain, organic pork, pork side ribs, spare ribs, wheat free