February 1, 2013
These ribs are great for Super Bowl Sunday. They are super easy to make and super delicious. Don’t you think it’s funny that it’s The Paris Cookbook where I discovered such a flavorful version of this American classic with an Asian twist??
Note: I’m a fan of the Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste. The ingredient list is short and sweet (or rather, spicy) which allow the authentic flavors to come through in a fresh, non-processed way.
Santa Barbara Folks: I think the baby back ribs from Shalhoob’s Meat Company are the best. I find them at Tri-County Produce.
Adapted from Patricia Wells’ The Paris Cookbook
4 servings
The Sauce:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup tomato paste
¼ cup Thai curry paste (homemade or from the store, like Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste mentioned above).
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 4 pounds total)
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Equipment:
A roasting pan large enough to hold the meat in a single layer.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the honey, tomato paste, and curry paste. Mix with a fork to blend.
Season the pork ribs liberally with salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan over moderate heat, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Add the ribs and brown well on each side, about 2 minutes per side. With a pastry brush, brush the ribs with about half the sauce (reserve the remaining sauce to serve at the table). Sear for 1 minute more per side. Pour the wine over the ribs. And be sure to slide your hands into oven mitts when covering the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Place the roasting pan in the center of the oven. Cook until the meat is very tender and you can wiggle the bone from the meat with little effort, about 1½ hours. Cut the ribs into serving portions and serve, passing the remaining sauce.