Dish of the Week: Chinese Spareribs with Teriyaki Glaze

This weeks dish, Chinese Spareribes with Teriyaki Glaze, is something I found off the Food Networks website when looking for ideas to make my Mom homemade Chinese food for her birthday. I have never made ribs but have always wanted to try them. This was my chance.

Ingredients
Spiced spare ribs:
2 (4-pound) racks pork spareribs, trimmed of excess fat
1/2 cup Chinese five-spice powder
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Teriyaki glaze:
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 fresh red chili, minced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2-inch piece fresh ginger, whacked open with the flat side of a knife
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, for garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro and green onion, for garnish


Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Rub the ribs all over with the five-spice powder; then season generously with salt and pepper. Put the ribs in a single layer in a roasting pan and slow-roast until they are almost tender, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile make the glaze. In a large bowl combine the soy sauce, grapefruit juice, hoisin sauce, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, chili, garlic and ginger in a saucepan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the sauce reduces and thickens then remove from the heat. Strain the sauce and reserve.

When the ribs are about 30 minutes away from being done, baste them with the teriyaki sauce. Cook until the meat pulls easily from the bone (about 1/2-inch of bone will show).

Just before serving, preheat the broiler. Baste the ribs again with the teriyaki sauce and brown them under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes. (Keep a close eye on these guys - ribs go from perfectly crisp to perfectly burnt in seconds.) Separate the ribs with a cleaver or sharp knife, pile them on a platter, and pour on the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and green onion before serving.


The Verdict: As I mentioned above I had never made ribs before. I have to say that while I am not a huge fan of pork ribs, I was a big fan at how tender the meat came out. The meat fell off the bone. I think the verdict from the family was that the meat was great but the sauce was a bit overpowering. I was in the minority, I thought the glaze was really tasty but wasn't crazy about the meat.

The big hit was my fried rice. It's nothing special but everyone loved it. Here is how I make my fried rice: I take some 2 cups white rice and cook it according to the package directions, set aside. Take two eggs and scramble them then cook them on low heat leaving them just slightly runny, set aside. I like carrots and peas in my friend rice but my family doesn't so I omitted this part. If you would want them, I use shredded carrots and mince them (but you could use frozen), then 1/2 cup of frozen peas. You could also dice some onion and add it in too, if you like. Take some olive oil in a skillet (or wok if you have one) and heat over medium.

If you're going to use the carrots (and or onion) add them to the oil first. Saute until they are soft about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and let it fry in the pan a little. Add the egg and soy sauce. The amount of soy sauce you use will depend on how dark you like your fried rice. Heat through and serve.