Calabrian pork ribs
This flavoursome pork rib roast is cut from pork belly still on the bone. Perfect for marinating and then cooking low and slow before a quick grill or go on the barbecue.
Ingredients
- 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 4 medium hot red chillies, deseeded, roughly chopped
- ½ red pepper, deseeded roughly chopped
- 1 head garlic, cloves peeled, roughly chopped
- few sprigs fresh thyme
- few sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 1 rack pork ribs, in one piece, around 1.5–2kg/3lb 5oz–4lb 8oz
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- lemon wedges
- 200g/7oz quick-cook polenta
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 140C/Fan 120C/Gas 1.
- Put all the ingredients, except the pork, into a blender and blend until fairly smooth.
- Line a roasting tin with foil, making sure there is enough foil hanging over the sides to fold into a parcel. Place the pork on top of the foil and pour over the marinade, turning over to make sure it is completely covered.
- Bring the foil together to make a parcel then put in the oven. Bake for between 2–3 hours, making sure you check after 2 hours – the meat should be cooked through and tender but nowhere near falling off the bone.
- Cook the polenta according to packet instructions and season well.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a chopping board. Pouring off any cooking juices and transfer to a small saucepan. When the ribs are cool enough to handle, cut into individual ribs – it is easier to follow the bone by turning bone side up.
- To finish cooking, either prepare a barbecue, preheat your grill or heat a griddle pan until it is too hot to hold your hand over. Grill or griddle the ribs until well browned and nicely charred in places – this should take 3–4 minutes on each side.
- Reheat the pan juices and serve on the side with the ribs, along with lemon wedges and polenta.
