Digging Ribs

There's Something very Tom Jonesish about a succulent platter of ribs. Civilized appurtenances such as knives and forks are tacitly dispensed with in favor of lusty, hand-to-mouth consumption. Fingers are licked; well-picked bones are casualty tossed into the waiting communal bowl; and the (continued on page 179) Digging Ribs (continued from page 87) boardinghouse reach for more is de rigueur. A rib bash definitely isn't for the faint of heart.

Furthermore, it's almost impossible to seriously botch a slab. You can roast, broil, braise, boil, stew, stir fry, deep fry, grill over coals outdoors or Char-B-Que ribs electrically on a terrace. Slather them with the most devilish hot sauce or anoint them with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper. You can do no wrong--other than turning them into a heap of cinders.

Ribs benefit from slow, moist cooking. They come out more tender, evenly browned and leaner, too. It's a good practice, however, to trim the fat carefully before barbecuing. Rub your rack with a bit of the trimmed fat, to prevent sticking. And don't crowd the grill or pan--leave room for circulation of air. Whatever baste you use should not be too potent, as the flavor concentrates during cooking. The sweeter mixtures, laden with sugar, fruit syrup or melted jelly, can be trouble. Apply them during the last half hour or so of cooking; otherwise, you risk scorching or charring.

In the following recipes, allow about a pound of ribs per person and don't count on having leftovers. No one quits until the last crusty nubbin is gone.

[recipe_title]Rhino Ribs (Serves two)[/recipe_title]

OK, so they're not rhino ribs, but they're awfully large bones from the beef rib roast. They're available in meat markets that sell boneless rib roasts. You may not have seen them, because they go fast--they're so good and so much fun to eat. Ask the butcher to save some for you, leaving a little extra meat on the bone. You'll have to pay a little extra, but it's worth the difference.

[recipe]3 lbs. beef-rib-roast bones[/recipe]

[recipe]Garlic powder, lemon-pepper seasoning[/recipe]

[recipe]Melted butter[/recipe]

Ignite charcoal in barbecue unit and place grill 4 to 5 ins. from coals. Let charcoal burn down to a bed of glowing coals. Sprinkle rib-roast bones with garlic powder and lemon-pepper seasoning. Place meat on grill, bone side up. Grill about 1/2 hour, turning occasionally and brushing lightly with melted butter.

[recipe_title]Ribs Afire (Serves four)[/recipe_title]

[recipe]4 to 5 lbs. spareribs[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper, paprika[/recipe]

[recipe]1 jigger Cointreau, warmed[/recipe]

Sprinkle ribs generously on one side with salt, pepper and paprika. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast in preheated 350° oven for 3/4 hour. Turn and sprinkle other side with seasonings. Roast 3/4 hour longer, until browned. Place on heatproof platter and pour warmed liqueur over ribs. Ignite. Allow flames to die naturally. Carve between bones into individual ribs and serve.

[recipe_title]Grilled Lamb Riblets (Serves two)[recipe_title]

[recipe]2 lbs. breast of lamb[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup dry red wine[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup wine vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons finely chopped onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large clove garlic, crushed[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 teaspoon salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon each pepper, dried thyme, rosemary, mint[/recipe]

Trim fat and membrane from lamb and cut between bones into riblets. Combine other ingredients and pour over riblets. Marinate for at least 1 hour. Start fire so coals have gray ash cover when you grill. Arrange rack 31/2 to 4 ins. from coals. The fire is ready when you can hold your hand directly over the grill and keep it there to a slow count of four. Grease rack lightly; place riblets on rack. Grill about 35 minutes, turning and basting occasionally with marinade, or until crisp and browned.

[recipe_title]Korean Roast Short Ribs (Serves three to four)[/recipe_title

[recipe]3 lbs. beef short ribs[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons sesame or salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]4 scallions with 2 ins. green stems, finely chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, crushed[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cloves garlic, crushed[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger[/recipe]

Trim excess fat from short ribs. Make deep crisscross slashes in meat, almost to the bone. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over ribs. Marinate about 1 hour. Place ribs on rack in roasting pan. Roast in preheated 350° oven about 1 hour, turning and basting occasionally with marinade.

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[recipe_title]Apple-Glazed Smoked Ribs (Serves two)[/recipe_title]

[recipe]2 lbs. smoked sparcribs Water[/recipe]

[recipe]11/2 to 2 cups apple juice[/recipe]

[recipe]4 allspice berries[/recipe]

Cut meat into individual ribs. Place in large deep skillet and cover with cold water. Bring to boil and simmer 15 minutes. Pour off water and spread ribs in single layer, if possible. Add enough apple juice to come halfway up the ribs and toss in the allspice berries. Cover, bring to boil and simmer about 10 minutes. Uncover, turn up heat to boil down apple juice. Watch ribs carefully and turn occasionally. Remove ribs from pan when apple juice has almost cooked out and ribs are glazed. Good with Dijon mustard. Makes an unusual and interesting drink nibble.

[recipe_title]Chinese Barbecued Back Bones (Serves three to four)[/recipe_title]

These are actually ribs from the pork loin, occasionally sold as country-style spareribs. They're cut to leave more of the loin meat on the bone. You can also do your own from a loin roast, which will give you the meaty rib bones plus a boneless fillet that can be barbecued or roasted separately.

[recipe]3 lbs. country-style spareribs[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup soy sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons sherry[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons wine vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon honey[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cloves garlic, crushed[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-flavor spice (or use mixture of star anise, cinnamon, ginger and allspice)[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon paprika[/recipe]

Marinate ribs in mixture of other ingredients for about 1 hour. Get charcoal grill ready as for Grilled Lamb Riblets. Remove ribs from marinade and grill about 1 hour, turning and basting occasionally with marinade until well browned.

[recipe_title]Corned Ribs 'N' Kraut (Serves two)[/recipe_title]

[recipe]1 sheet corned spareribs, about 21/2, lbs.Water[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium onion, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lb. sauerkraut[/recipe]

[recipe]1 clove garlic, finely chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]5 whole peppercorns[/recipe]

[recipe]5 juniper berries (optional)[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large tart apple, peeled and cut into thick slices[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 bottle California Rhine wine[/recipe]

Have spareribs chopped into sections of 3 or 4 ribs each. Put in large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to boil, simmer 5 minutes. Remove ribs and pour off water. Heat oil in same pot and sauté onion just until softened. Drain kraut and rinse in cold water. Add to pot along with garlic, peppercorns, juniper berries and apple. Return ribs to pot and toss some kraut over them. Add enough wine to come about halfway up the mixture. Cover and simmer over low heat about 11/4 hours, or until meat is tender and beginning to pull away from the bones.

[recipe_title]Down-Home Ribs (Serves four)[/recipe_title]

[recipe]4 lbs. spareribs[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup catsup[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1/2 cups water[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons brown sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1/2 teaspoons salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 medium onion, chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]1 clove garlic, crushed[/recipe]

Cut spareribs between bones to make individual ribs. Place in single layer in large shallow pan and bake in preheated 350° oven 1/2, hour. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients and bring to boil; simmer 5 minutes and remove from heat. Drain fat from ribs. Pour warm sauce over ribs and bake about 1 hour, turning and basting occasionally with sauce in pan.

[recipe_title]Short Ribs in Beer (Serves four to six)[/recipe_title]

[recipe]4 lbs. beef short ribs[/recipe]

[recipe]2 large onions, sliced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 clove garlic, chopped[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons salt[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon marjoram[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup chopped parsley[/recipe]

[recipe]12-oz. can beer[/recipe]

Heat large heavy Dutch oven or casserole. Brown ribs in pan, a few at a time, over medium heat. Start with fat side down and turn occasionally to brown all sides. When ribs are browned, pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat in pan. Reduce heat, add onions and garlic and cook until onions start to color. Return ribs to pan and add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours, until meat is tender. Correct seasoning if necessary.

The fact that ribs are eaten with the fingers doesn't mean the festivities should turn into an animal act. Provide your guests with several damp cloth napkins that have been plunged into hot water, then wrung out. And whether you're serving tasty but tame Apple-Glazed Smoked Ribs or Down-Home Ribs that have been laced with chili powder, keep plenty of ice-cold beer close at hand. That's a rib tip worth remembering.