Pineapple And Molasses Spareribs
Updated May 12, 2019
Jonathan Player for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
16 pork spareribs
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 green Thai chilies or other small hot chilies, roughly chopped
1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 tablespoons molasses
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick, broken into shards
1 onion, peeled and cut into eighths
½ cup canned pineapple juice
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
29 grams carbs; 346 milligrams cholesterol; 1374 calories; 40 grams monosaturated fat; 19 grams polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams saturated fat; 108 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 2 grams fiber; 1500 milligrams sodium; 69 grams protein; 22 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Place ribs in a large plastic bag and set aside. In a bowl, combine lime zest and juice, soy sauce, chilies, ginger, oil and 2 tablespoons molasses. Add star anise, cinnamon, onion and pineapple juice, and stir to mix well. Add contents of bowl to bag, seal bag well, and refrigerate overnight.
- Step 2
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove ribs from refrigerator, and pour contents of bag, including marinade, into a roasting pan. Allow ribs to come to room temperature. Cover pan tightly with foil, place in oven, and bake for 1 hour, turning ribs once halfway through cooking. Remove pan from oven (leave oven on), discard foil, and carefully spoon only the liquid from pan into a saucepan. Return pan to oven, and continue to bake ribs uncovered.
- Step 3
Add remaining 2 tablespoons molasses to saucepan, and place over medium heat. Cook until mixture is foamy and syrupy, about 10 minutes.
- Step 4
Remove ribs from oven, and pour sauce over them, turning ribs until they are well coated. Transfer to a large platter, and serve.
Private Notes
Comments
This is not how you achieve good ribs regardless of what marinade and sauce you use. The temp is way too high and the cooking time way too short. I would suggest 225 degrees for 3-4 hours with a final browning on a grill to develop a nice finish (or 450 in an oven).
I found the sauce too sweet for my taste. I added three tablespoons of cider vinegar to the pan liquid when I reduced the glaze. The result had a slight bit more bit but as still sweet and sticky. Also, I found the cooking time and temp perhaps to high and too short. The ribs were not tender and moist but somewhat dry. Next time I'll lower the temp and cook longer to the meat is more tender.
I took your suggestion and found that the ribs ended up almost too tender; i.e. the rack fell apart as I was picking it up out of the pan. Then I remembered pineapple juice is an effective meat tenderizer -- with the overnight marinade, the temperature and time in the recipe would likely work just fine. I'm going to try it as written next time.
Overly fussy recipe for mediocre ribs
Followed the recipe as written and it was perfect. This is a new family favorite.
Cider vinegar for pineapple juice. Cook ribs much lower temp, and longer. Too much molasses?