Braised and Grilled or Broiled Pork Ribs

The barbecued ribs I like best are cooked all the way through, using moist, relatively low heat, then finished over a high flame for a final browning. And you can nicely, if imperfectly, replicate this process by braising the ribs and then finishing them over the grill or in the broiler. Of course the broiler won’t add wood flavor, but then neither will a gas grill or briquettes.

What I did for the ribs in the recipe here was brown them, then slowly braise them in the oven (the top of the stove would work as well). When they were nearly falling off the bone I took them straight from the braising liquid and ran them under the broiler, just until they crisped up.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4pounds spare ribs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10allspice berries
• 2 or 33-inch cinnamon sticks
• 10nickel-sized slices unpeeled fresh ginger or 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 5dried red chiles or a teaspoon of cayenne
• 5cloves garlic, lightly smashed
• 1bottle dark beer, like Guinness or any porter

• Nutritional Information

  • • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      914 calories; 68 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 26 grams monounsaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 44 grams protein; 211 milligrams cholesterol; 635 milligrams sodium

  Note: The information shown is DiningAndCooking.com’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cut meat into two racks if necessary; season with salt and pepper. Put oil in a large, deep ovenproof skillet or casserole that can later be covered. Turn heat to medium-high and, when oil shimmers, sear meat on both sides until nicely browned, turning as necessary.
2. Add allspice, cinnamon, ginger, chiles and garlic and stir; add beer. Bring to a boil; cover pan and adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Put in oven and cook until meat is tender, 1 hour or more. (You can prepare meat up to a day or two ahead; if you are not going to grill or broil immediately, put whole pan in refrigerator after it cools a bit.)
3. Light a charcoal or gas grill or heat broiler; rack should be about 4 inches away from heat source. Drain meat and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Grill or broil on both sides until brown and crisp, just a few minutes. Meanwhile, skim cooking liquid of fat, bring to a boil, and use as sauce.