It is important to remember that good works come in many forms and some leave a very good taste in your mouth. This diversion from our usual serious posts come from my cousin's wife who also boosts my ego by reminding me that I'm her favorite in-law. Either that, or she hates having to deal with leftovers and knows I like to eat.
... ... ...
IMAGE CREDITs (SIMULATED) OK Full Disclosure the ribs shown above are not pictures of the actual Judge George Chew's Justifiably Famous Ribs. They were so good we forgot to take pictures and by the time we remembered the remaining pile of bones were less than picturesque. So just imagine.
... ... ...
Recipe Originally posted by the Washington Post. November 3, 2010*
Judge George Chew came up with this simple recipe when he was in law school and was helping to raise money for an Asian American student group. He now sits on the immigration bench in New York City, and cooking, he says, is a way to balance the chaos and heartbreak he witnesses. "As my cooking evolved, I started to riff on the recipe, adding other ingredients. It is still changing depending on the availability of ingredients, but the essentials remain the bean and hoisin sauces and making people happy that they showed up to eat."
MAKE AHEAD:
- The marinade mixture needs to sit for 1 hour before the ribs are added.
- The ribs need to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.
- 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons maple sugar or syrup (see below)*
- 2 tablespoons mirin 2 tablespoons Chinese black bean sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce, such as Sriracha 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece peeled ginger root, minced or grated (1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Four or five 2 to 2-1/2 pound racks pork spareribs, trimmed
*Maple sugar is available at some Balducci's stores and through online gourmet purveyors.
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine the hoisin sauce, ketchup, maple sugar or syrup, mirin, black bean sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili sauce, garlic, ginger and black pepper in a large liquid-measuring cup; mix well and let rest (at room temperature) for 1 hour.
- Use a sharp knife to lightly score the meat side of the ribs.
- Place the ribs in a large nonreactive dish or in a few large resealable plastic food storage bags and use all of the marinade mixture to coat them.
- Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days, turning and massaging the ribs every 8 hours.
- Position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees.
- Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil. Arrange the ribs in a single layer on the baking sheets; place one sheet on each of the oven racks. Discard any leftover marinade.
- Roast for 25 minutes, then turn the ribs over and switch the positions of the baking sheets so the one that was on the bottom rack is now on the top rack. Roast for 25 minutes, then turn the ribs over and change the positions of the baking sheets again. Roast for 20 minutes. Switch the positions of the baking sheets one more time (no need to flip the ribs again); roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until the meat pulls away from the bone.
- Transfer the ribs to a carving board, cut into individual ribs and serve.
NUTRITION FACTS:
Serving size: Per serving (based on 8) Calories: 490 % Daily Values* Total Fat: 37g 57 Saturated Fat: 13g 65 Cholesterol: 110mg 37 Sodium: 830mg 35 Total Carbohydrates: 13g 4 Dietary Fiber: n/a 0 Sugar: 9g Protein: 25g *Percent Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Total Fat: Less than 65g Saturated Fat: Less than 20g Cholesterol: Less than 300mg Sodium: Less than 2,400mg Total Carbohydrates: 300g Dietary Fiber: 25g
*Recipe Source: Adapted from "One Big Table: A Portrait of American Cooking," by Molly O'Neill (Simon & Schuster, 2010)