Chinese-Style Barbecued Spareribs

By á-14060

Removing the Membrane


Spareribs have a tough membrane on their underside that's unpleasant to eat. Fortunately, it's easy to remove. Here's how.


1. At one end of the rack, loosen the membrane with the tip of a paring knife.



2. Grab the membrane with a paper towel and pull slowly—it should come off in one piece.

Ingredients

• Ingredients2 racks pork spareribs (2 1/2 to 3 pounds each), preferably St. Louis-cut (see note)
• 8 black tea bags (see below)
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 cup red currant jelly

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from cookscountry.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
1. PREP RIBS AND TEA Following the photos below, remove membrane on underside of ribs. Cut rib racks in half. Cover tea bags with water in small bowl and soak for 5 minutes. Squeeze water from tea bags and tightly seal in foil packet. Cut vent holes in top of packet.


2. STEAM RIBS Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Whisk 1 cup ketchup, soy sauce, hoisin, sugar, sherry, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and cayenne in large bowl; reserve ½ cup for glaze. Arrange ribs, meaty side down, in large disposable roasting pan and pour remaining ketchup mixture over ribs. Cover pan tightly with foil and cook until fat has rendered and meat begins to pull away from bones, 2 to 2½ hours. Transfer ribs to large plate. Pour pan juices into fat separator. Let liquid settle and reserve 1 cup defatted pan juices.


3. MAKE GLAZE Simmer reserved pan juices over medium-high heat until reduced to ½ cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in jelly, reserved ketchup mixture, and remaining ketchup and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, 10 to 12 minutes. Reserve one-third of glaze for serving.


4. SMOKE RIBS Open bottom vent on grill. Light about 100 coals; when -covered with fine gray ash, carefully pile on 1 side of grill. Arrange foil packet directly on coals. Set cooking grate in place and heat, covered, with lid vent open halfway, until tea begins to smoke heavily, about 5 minutes. (For gas grill, place foil packet directly on primary burner. Heat all burners on high, covered, until tea begins to smoke heavily, about 5 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and shut other burner[s] off.) Scrape and oil cooking grate. Arrange ribs, meaty side down, on cool side of grill and cook, covered, until ribs are smoky and edges begin to char, about 30 minutes.


5. GLAZE RIBS Brush ribs with glaze, flip, rotate, and brush again. Cover and barbecue, brushing with glaze every 30 minutes, until ribs are fully tender and glaze is browned and sticky, 1 to 1½ hours. Transfer to cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Serve with reserved glaze.


MAKE AHEAD Ribs and glaze can be prepared through step 3 up to 2 days in advance. Once the ribs are cool, wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate. Transfer glaze to microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate. Before proceeding with step 4, allow ribs to stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Before proceeding with step 5, heat glaze in microwave on high power until warm, about 1 minute.