Spanish Spareribs with Herb-Garlic Dipping Sauce

By scottnjennie

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. hot pimentón (smoked paprika) or 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 2 racks pork spareribs (about 9 lbs.)
• 6 Tbs. sherry vinegar or white-wine vinegar
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from finecooking.com

Preparation

Step 1

This popular Spanish dish is simple but wonderful. Serve the ribs as a hearty appetizer with plenty of napkins or as a main course with sautéed greens and chickpeas. Use good-quality dried oregano in the sauce and add some diced roasted red pepper (especially Spanish piquillos) if you have them on hand.

In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbs. salt with 2 tsp. pepper with the pimentón or cayenne, oregano, and sugar. Pat the mixture all over both sides of the ribs. Let sit at room temperature while the grill heats.

Make the sauce

While the ribs cook, combine 2 Tbs. vinegar with the garlic and oregano in a medium bowl. Using the bottom of a small spoon, smash the garlic and oregano against the bottom and sides of the bowl until it turns into a paste with the vinegar. Whisk in the remaining vinegar, 1/3 cup water, the oil, and 2 tsp. salt.

Transfer the ribs to a carving board to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the racks (meaty side down so they’re easier to slice) into individual ribs and transfer to a plate. Whisk the sauce well, drizzle on top of the ribs, and serve.