Sweet, Spicy, Oven-Baked Spareribs

Yahoo Food

There’s nothing like the sticky-fingered bliss of ribs in the summertime. You can make this version in an oven – no grill or smoker required. World famous author Jackie Collins makes a great case for getting your hands dirty in this recipe from The Lucky Santangelo Cookbook, based on Jackie’s bestselling series of mob novels. You know what they say – food is the most delicious weapon.

Sweet, Spicy Spareribs, by Jackie Collins

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Photo credit:Amy Beadle Roth

Jackie says, “I’m crazy about spareribs. Nothing like a down-and-dirty barbecue to have fun.

“This recipe also works well with baby back ribs, which take less time to cook through— about a half hour. The internal temperature of the cooked ribs should be the same—165° to 175°F.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2 cups dry sherry
2 pounds brown sugar
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 cups soy sauce
¾ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon ground ginger
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce, or more as needed
1 lemon
4 racks spareribs (about 10 pounds)

In a large saucepan, combine the sherry, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic, molasses, soy sauce, ketchup, ginger, garlic, and Tabasco to taste. Whisk together thoroughly, then squeeze the lemon, throw away the seeds, and toss the juice and the lemon into the marinade. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often, then remove it from the heat and let cool.

Slather the ribs with the sauce, transfer to a large sealable plastic bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Preheat the broiler. Drain the ribs and reserve the marinade. Broil the ribs until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, to thicken into a glaze.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the ribs on a rack (or two) and place in a roasting pan (or two). Brush on some of the glaze, and roast the ribs for 45 minutes. Turn them, brush on more of the glaze, and roast the ribs for 30 minutes per pound. The ribs are done when the internal temperature registers 165° to 175°F.

Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes, then separate them with a carving knife, brush them with additional glaze, and serve.

From THE LUCKY SANTANGELO COOKBOOK by Jackie Collins. Copyright © 2014 by Chances, Inc.  and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Press, LLC.

Click here for more about the Lucky Santangelo Cookbook. 

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