Iberico Pork St Louis-Cut Chinese-Style Spare Ribs

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 rack Iberico Pork St. Louis-cut Spare Ribs
High heat oil for deep frying
Corn starch

For the braising liquid
6 cups water
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tbsp rice or apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 onion, halved
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally
1” piece of ginger
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp whole black peppercorns

For the fish sauce caramel
½ cup good-quality fish sauce
¼ cup water
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp garlic powder

For garnish
White sesame seeds
Scallions, light and dark green parts only, cut thin on a bias

METHOD

1. Place the meat and all the braising ingredients in a large pot. Over medium heat, bring liquid to just below a simmer. Be careful not to let it boil. Cook for about 1 hour.
2. Remove ribs from the pot onto a plate to cool. Discard liquid or strain and reserve for another use.
3. Combine all fish sauce caramel ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat and reduce by half.
4. Cut braised and cooled racks into individual ribs.
5. Pre-heat deep fryer or a deep pot on the stove with plenty of oil to 375°F.
6. Toss ribs with corn starch until completely coated. Let them sit in the corn starch for at least 10 minutes and then shake off any excess.
7. Fry ribs until golden, 4-5 minutes, working in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding them.
8. Toss the ribs while still hot with the fish sauce caramel until fully coated.
9. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.

 Recipe and Image Credit: Marx Foods