Recipes - BBQ Spare Ribs
No-one needs an introduction to barbecue spare ribs. They definitely come from America, but the original influence might have been Chinese, perhaps introduced to the States by the Chinese who came in to work on the railways. This is definitely Chinese in its use of spices and flavourings, and I hope it becomes a favourite.
My pet hate with spare ribs is when they are underdone and chewy, no matter how good in flavour. This method allows you to cook them a little in advance, and by boiling them one tends to get a more tender finished product. These are quite moreish, so provide plenty.
Start the ribs the day before. Cut the sheets of ribs into three or four rib sections. Put a large pan of water on to boil and add the stock cube and cleaned vegetables. Put the ribs in and boil for 20 minutes. Drain when done (do not throw the stock away).
Meanwhile put the peppercorns into a hot dry wok until they start to smell. Take out and grind to a powder. Put into a bowl with the rest of the marinade ingredients
Mix the ribs into the marinade and stir well. Leave overnight in a cool place.
On the day, preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/Gas 7, and fire up your barbecue.
Put the ribs on to a rack over a roasting tray, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Take out and put on to the barbecue to colour and finish.
