Nothing beats some sticky barbecued ribs, especially if the coated in a delicious sweet and sour glaze. I first tried this dish at Ember Yard in London and instantly fell in love with it. Pork and quince work so well together and the caramelised flavour these barbecued ribs produce, you cannot get from a classic barbecue sauce. The secret to this dish is to slowly cook the ribs in a liquid spiced up with herbs and spices until the meat is tender and finishing them on a hot barbecue coated with the quince glaze.
📕 Recipe here
🔪 Ingredients
1.5kg Iberico Pork Ribs
1 whole head of garlic, cut in half
1 carrot, cut into pieces
1 stick of celery, cut into pieces
A few fresh thyme sprigs
5 cloves
3 star anise
4 bay leaves
For the quince glaze:
200g quince paste
50ml white wine vinegar
🔥 Method
Heat the oven to 130℃/266°F/gas mark ½.
Place the ribs in a deep ovenproof tray or dish and cover with cold water. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, thyme, cloves, anise and bay leaves, and cover with aluminium foil. Roast for two and a half hours, until the rib meat is very tender, but not falling from the bone. Check on the ribs two or three times during cooking, and skim off any scum that rises to the surface of the liquid in the tray. When the ribs are cooked, remove them from the oven and leave to cool down in the liquor.
For the glaze, cut the quince paste into small pieces and place with the vinegar in a saucepan over a low heat. Melt the quince paste gently, stirring occasionally. You will end up with a think jam looking glaze. Place the cooked ribs on a tray and brush them all over with the glaze, saving some of the glaze for basting later.
Heat your barbecue, and cook the ribs for three to four minutes on each side, until caramelised and hot. Brush the remaining quince glaze on the ribs. Season with sea salt and serve with your choice of salads and a cold beer.