The success rate of recipes from newspaper food sections, magazines and the internet don’t have a high success rate of enjoyment or deliciousness. Still, I clip many from the New York Times, which are generally reliable and occasionally keepers. Though I’m rarely seduced by recipes in our Portland Press Herald food page, which is more of a food section containing wire copy recipes than those that are home grown. But I do look forward to the Saturday food section of the Wall Street Journal in the section called “Off-Duty,”which features articles on food, lifestyle, travel, cars and fashion. It’s the food features especially that tantalize–and one recipe in particular that I have made was so good it’s become a firm family favorite. (The overall section, however, is more like a fantasy sheet advising where to buy six-figure cars to items of clothing and accessories that cost thousands.)
The adapted recipe is a robust preparation for country style pork ribs that are marinated in a spice rub overnight and slow-roasted in the oven for several hours. It hails from chef Damon Menapace of the Philadelphia restaurant Kensington Quarters. The restaurant is part of a butcher shop that practices whole animal butchery from local farms. The adjacent restaurant is highly regarded by Philadelphians. Click here for the link to the food feature.
Slow roasted spice rubbed ribs served with a puree of celery root and potato and sauteed spinach
The pork ribs are known as country style ribs. They’re not ribs at all like the racks we use on the barbecue. Rather they’re cross cut from the shoulder generally into inch-thick steaks on the bone. I buy them from Pat’s Meat Market or the Topsham butcher, Bisson’s ( 116 Meadow Rd., 207-725-7215), both of whom have these ready to go in their meat cases. It’s an inexpensive cut of meat, which emerges tender and juicy when roasted in a low oven for several hours. These get their distinction in the spice rub in which the ribs marinate overnight before putting into a covered baking dish to roast for about 2 hours. They’re finished off in a glaze made from apple cider vinegar. I prefer the raw, unfiltered Bragg apple cider, which you can find at Whole Foods and Hannaford.
Country style ribs are cut from the pork shoulder
I serve it with a potato puree and braised greens for a hearty winter dish. Come summer I’ll slow-roast these on the barbecue over hickory, which should emerge even more delicious with its smoky flavor.
Slow roasted spice rubbed ribs served with a puree of celery root and potato and sauteed spinach
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 thick bone-in country style ribs, about 2 pounds
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup dark-brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A pinch cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup Bragg’s apple cider vinegar
- Pinch chili flakes
Instructions
- When ready to roast the ribs preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
- Spice mixture: Mix all the spice-rub ingredients together in a medium bowl, making sure that the brown sugar has no lumps. Liberally sprinkle both sides of the ribs with the spice rub; reserving a few tablespoons of the spice mixture for later use. You’ll probably have leftover spice, which can be stored in a tightly covered glass Mason jar.
- Put the ribs in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight. Put the chops in a roasting pan so that they fit snugly without touching. Pour any of the accumulated juices from the marinade over the chops. Season the chops, according to taste, with about a tablespoon of the leftover spice rub. Cover the dish with a double layer of foil and roast for about 2 hours or until the ribs are very tender, just short of falling off the bone.
- Glaze: Meanwhile make the glaze by stirring the sugar, vinegar and chili flakes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Cook over a lively simmer (really a slow boil) over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until thick and syrupy. Keep an eye on it because if left untended the glaze could reduce too much. Reserve until needed; reheat if necessary to liquidize.
- Raise oven temperature to 425 degrees.
- Remove the ribs to a plate and pour off the liquid that has accumulated in the dish. Return the ribs to the dish and brush on a thin layer of the glaze. Roast uncovered for 5 minutes; brush again with more glaze and roast 5 minutes. Turn chops over and brush with glaze and bake for 5 minutes; repeat process again. Chops are now ready to serve. If desired sprinkle a little more spice over the chops adjusting according to taste. This is a fairly robust spice mixture, which can be too salty for some so season judiciously.
- Serve with fresh local spinach (available at farmers’ markets or Rosemont or The Farm Stand) quickly sautéed in olive oil flavored with a cut clove of garlic over high heat until just wilted, turning often with tongs, about 2 minutes. Serve with a dash of aged balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper.
- Make a puree of 1 large local celery root, peeled and cut into chunks mixed with a small potato, peeled and cut into chunks. Put in a pot and barely cover with milk or a mixture of milk and heavy cream; bring to the simmer, partially cover the pot and watch it carefully. The milk mixture will bubble up and overflow, making quite a mess on your stove so this needs tending while it cooks; cook until celery root and potato are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to the work bowl of a food processor with some or all of the remaining milk which will have reduced and thickened considerably. Process quickly until pureed. Season with salt and pepper. Note: potatoes alone when pureed in the food processor will become pasty, but it works well with just a small potato blending with the larger celery root.
Notes
Adapted from a Wall Street Journal recipe feature published on October 12, 2015 for chef Damon Menapace's country style ribs (see link above)
