Super Bones! Asian Spiced St. Louis Pork Ribs

It's almost time for Super Bowl!!! Many of us get excited about this annual heated match up, but all of us get excited to grub down on delicious, and often not nutritious, party food. Kick off your football party right with this recipe for Asian Spiced St. Louis Pork Ribs. Don't forget to balance out the dish by serving up this rack with a side of quick pickled salad. Many cultures believe that vinegar helps with digestion, therefore what better day to try out this recipe?  Our bellies certainly need all the help they can get digesting meaty ribs and infinite amounts of the classic nachos, dips, and wings.This recipe takes very little time to prepare giving you more time to prepare for the party and enjoy your guests. Of course this holiday is notorious for beer consumption, but wine can always be great too! The key with this dish is to look for the balance of sweet and some spiciness. The earthy and rich flavors of pork works well with Grenanche based wine such as a Chateauneuf-du-Pape or a Rhone Blend. If you really want a fruit forward red with tons of red berry flavors, you can't go wrong with a nice California Syrah.

The Ribs:

• 1 Rack of St. Louis Pork Ribs
• 2–4 tbsp of Spice Rub (Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Chinese 5 spice)

1. Preheat your oven to 225°F.
2. Season both sides of the ribs as desired with the spice rub.
3. Wrap the rack in heavy duty foil making a packet, tight to the meat.
4. Cook the ribs in the oven for 2-3 hours. Do not disturb the meat until at least two hours have passed.
5. While the ribs are cooking, prepare the sauce.

• 2 tbsp Canola Oil
• 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp Minced Ginger
• ¾ cup Orange Juice
• ½ cup Hoisin Sauce
• 3–4 squirts Sriracha Chili Sauce
• 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 tbsp Corn Starch

1. Sauteé the garlic and ginger with canola oil for two minutes. Do not brown the garlic.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the corn starch) to the sauce pan and bring to a slight boil while continuously stirring.
3. Once slightly boiling, reduce heat to a simmer.
4. In a separate bowl or cup, mix 2 tbsp of water with 1 tbsp of corn starch.
5. Bring the sauce back up to a soft boil and add the corn starch slowly while stirring continuously. Keep adding the starch/water mixture until the sauce has reached your desired consistency.
6. Serve on the side or smothered over the ribs.

• 1 large Cucumber
• 1 large Carrot
• 2 tbsp of Cilantro Stems
• 1/3 cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes or Dried Chilies. *optional
• 1 tsp Salt

1. Prepare the Vegetables: Lightly peel the cucumber then seed and slice thinly. Peel and slice the carrot into thin pieces. Dice the cilantro stems small like chives, while reserving the leaves separately.
2. Mix all the ingredients into a bowl and let sit for at least an hour before serving. This process of macerating allows the liquid to soften the vegetables into a semi soft pickled slaw.
3. Dice the reserved cilantro leaves and garnish salad before serving if desired. Cilantro leaves will discolor if you add them before the maceration.

Leo Coulourides, our Culinary Specialist.