Stir Fried Pork Spare Ribs

If you are low on cash and need to whip up something quick and delicious for dinner, then look no further! My kids have requested this EVERY WEEK for the past month! This dish is served best alongside some rice. It also tastes great with anything pickled. Sometimes, I serve it with a side of kimchee or even papaya salad.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of pork spare ribs

For the marinade:

1 Tbsp. of oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. of fish sauce
2 Tbsp. of water
1 Tbsp. of palm sugar(or white granulated sugar)
1/4 tsp of onion powder
2 cloves of chopped garlic
sesame seeds and black pepper to taste

You will also need:

Peanut oil or vegetable oil

1. Take your spare ribs, wash them, and then pat them dry with a paper towel. Cut them into 1 inch pieces and place them into a bowl.
2. Make your marinade and then pour it over your ribs. Allow them to marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Into a hot skillet(on medium high heat), add in your ribs and stir fry for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and let it simmer for 5 more minutes.
4. Remove lid, stir, and then turn up to medium high heat. Continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated and sugar has caramelized. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Taste check for seasoning. Serve alongside some rice and your favorite side dishes.

NOTES: Some Asian markets sell pre-cut spare ribs for you, but I would advise against buying them. They usually are all bones and they don't trim off the fat or membrane, so you're left with a ton of fat on them as well. You may also use boneless pork instead. For a spicy variation, stir fry with some sliced jalapenos! :)

Some recommended side dishes:
Recipe for pickled mustard greens can be found here.
Recipe for papaya salad can be found here.
Recipe for mango salad can be found here.

Oven Baked Spare Ribs

Are you salivating, yet??? This picture pretty much speaks for itself. I'm no BBQ expert but all I know is that these ribs are tender and they just fall off the bone! I finally figured out that slow roasting it at a low temperature, is what really does the trick! I like to start my ribs off on the outside gas grill. I've realized that doing so, gives the ribs a nice crust...almost like giving them a good sear on the outside, before preparing them for slow roasting. This recipe is a must try for your next BBQ or family gathering!!


Ingredients:

3 pound rack of baby back ribs, cleaned with membrane removed
salt
black pepper
garlic powder
paprika
cayenne(optional)
my homemade BBQ sauce
olive oil

You will also need:

2-3 onions, sliced into thick onion rings
Baking sheet lined with foil

Line some foil on a baking sheet to make clean up easy. Then, take some thick slices of onion and place them in the middle of the baking sheet. It will act like a "bed" for your ribs, plus you'll end up with some caramelized onions too.

Wash and pat dry your baby back ribs. Remove the membrane(watch the video below on how to do this). Coat both sides of your ribs with some olive oil. Add some salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika to both sides. Be generous with the paprika.

Cook your ribs on an outside burner, using indirect heat at 350 degrees, for 1 hour. This will give your ribs a nice looking crust and prepare them for their slow roast. Remove and place on baking sheet.

Preheat your oven to 225 degrees.

Put some BBQ sauce on the bone side of your ribs and then transfer them to your foil lined baking sheet. Next, with the meat side up, sauce them HEAVY with some BBQ sauce. Cover tightly with foil and cook for 4 1/2 hours. After 4 1/2 hours, REMOVE THE FOIL, drain the liquid from the baking sheet, and place it into a small saucepan on medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, just until the sauce thickens. Put the thickened sauce back on top of the ribs and continue to cook UNCOVERED for 1 more hour. Wait for it to cool down slightly before slicing.

Notes: If you use a bigger rack of baby back ribs(or St. Louis style), they will take longer to cook. You can try baking your ribs at a higher temp to reduce oven time as well. Use good judgement and allow yourself some extra time! :)