My husband said these were the best spare ribs he has ever tasted. You may not know it, but that is a huge compliment as he has had some fantastic spare ribs in his time. The ones we had in America when we lived there were incredible and the ones swerved in Fado Rock, Fuerteventura were almost as good, but the best we have eaten out have to be at Roulas Restaurant in Lardos, Rhodes. I think I agree with him though, these were better than any of those. The meat just fell off the bone and the flavour was incredible.
The recipe was adapted from one of John Torode’s and it introduced me, for the first time, to Chipotle Tabasco. I thank him for that as it is a wonderful discovery, a really smoky chilli flavour. Fantastic!
Chipotles impart a relatively mild but earthy spiciness to many dishes in Mexican cuisine. The chiles are used to make various salsa. Chipotle can be ground and combined with other spices to make a meat marinade called adobo.
Most chipotle chiles are produced in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. This variety of chipotle is known as a morita (Spanish for small [mulberry]). In central and southern Mexico, chipotle chiles are known as chile meco, chile ahumado, or típico. Whereas moritas from Chihuahua are purple in color, chile meco is tan/grey in color and has the general appearance of a cigar butt. Most chipotle chiles found in the United States are of the morita variety. Almost all of the chipotle meco is consumed in Mexico.
Chipotles have heat, but also a distinctive smoky flavor. The flesh is thick and so the chile is best if used in a slow-cooked dish rather than raw. Add whole chipotles to a soup, stew or in the braising liquid for meats. Chipotles are an accompaniment to beans or lentils.
Well, here is the recipe. It is easy and delicious. I hope you give it a go. I could not find the original recipe on the internet so here is how I made them.
Pork ribs Serves 4
- 2 lbs of spare ribs, either in a rack or separate
- 1 tbsp mustard powder
- 1 tbsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup with chilli
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 3 tbsp chipotle tabasco
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp clear honey
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
- Mix together the mustard, chilli powder, tomato and chilli ketchup and the sugar. Rub the paste into the meaty parts of the ribs then lay the ribs in a singles layer in a shallow baking tray. Pour 125ml water into the bottom of the baking tray then cover the whole thing with foil. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the meat is really tender. Remove from the oven and pour off any liquid.
- Turn up the oven to 110C/200C fan/Gas 7. Combine the chipotle tabasco, cider vinegar, honey and tomato ketchup in a bowl. Brush all over the meat and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.
Tasty Advice 