- 6
Ingredients
- Makes 6 servings
- 1 rack (about 3 1/2 pounds) pork spare ribs
- Sea or kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 fresh or dried bay leaves
- 1 cup (or as needed) Mixed Meat Stock (See below), Chicken Stock (See below), or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed hot red pepper, pulverized or chopped fine
Preparation
Step 1
Cut the rack of spare ribs between the bones into single ribs (or ask your buthcher to do this for you). Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pat the spare ribs dry and season them with salt and pepper. Toss them in a roasting pan into which they fit comfortably with the olive oil, garlic, and bay leaves. Pour in the stock and roast, turning occasionally, until the liquid is almost completely evaporated and the ribs are golden brown, 45 minutes to an hour.
Meanwhile, stir the wine, vinegar, honey, and crushed red pepper together in a small bowl until the honey is dissolved.
Brush all sides of the ribs with some of the vinegar glaze, then pour the remaining glaze into the roasting pan. Continue baking, turning every few minutes, until the glaze is syrupy and the ribs are mahogany brown and sticky to the touch, about 30 minutes. Spoon off as much of the fat as you like before serving the ribs.
Chicken Stock
Makes about 4 quarts
3 pounds chicken and/or capon wings, backs, necks, and giblets (not including the liver)
1 pound turkey wings
5 quart water
1 large onion (about 1/2 pound), cut in half
3 medium carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 3-inch lengths
2 large ripe tomatoes, quartered, or 1 tablespoon tomato paste
8 cloves garlic, unpeeled
10 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
12 black peppercorns
Salt
Rinse the poutlry pieces in a colander under cold running water and drain them well. Place them in an 8- to 10-quart stockpot. Pour in the cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for a minute or two and you will see foam rising to the surface. Skim off and discard the foam, lower the heat to a strong simmer, and cook 1 hour, occasionally skimming the foam and fat from the surface.
Add the remaining ingredients excep the salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to simmering. Cook, partially covered, 2 to 3 hours, skimming the foam and fat from the surface occasionally.
Strain the broth through a very fine sieve, or a colander lined with a double thickness of cheese cloth or a clean kitchen towel. Season lightly with salt. To use the stock right away, wait a minute or two and spoon off the fat that rises to the surface. The last little traces of fat can be “swept” off the surface with a folded piece of paper towel. It is much easier, however, to remove the fat from chilled stock–the fat will rise to the top and solidify, where it can be easily removed.
Meat Stock
For a rich meat stock, simply substitute 3 pounds meaty veal and beef bones–like beef shin, veal shank bones, and/or short ribs–for 2 pounds of the chicken/capon bones and all the turkey bones. Continue as described above.