If you crave sweet and savory Korean or Japanese style garlicky ribs with a hint of heat, this recipe should do the trick. A side of purple cabbage slaw dressed in a sesame oil, ginger and rice vinegar completes the dish.
Inspired by the barbecue pork ribs at Takashi in Salt Lake City, my Lectin Free Gourmet version is made with pastured pork baby back ribs glazed with sweet and spicy sticky sauce without the sugar or soy.
Recipe
Asian Slaw
1/4 Head Purple Cabbage
1/2 Cup Carrot Julienne
1 Green Onion Julienne
Dressing
1/4 C Sesame Oil
1/4 C Rice Vinegar
1 t Fresh Ginger grated
1/2 T Monk Fruit Sweetener
1/2 T Black Sesame Seeds
1/2 t Sea Salt
Ribs
1 Rack Pastured Pork Baby Back Ribs
Dry Rub
2 T Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener
1/2 t Cayenne
1 t Chili Powder
1 t Garlic Powder
1 t Black Pepper
1/2 t Smoked Sea Salt
Sticky Sauce
1 t Fresh Ginger grated
1 T Onion minced
2 Garlic Cloves minced
2 T Coconut Aminos
2 T Balsamic Vinegar
1 T Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener
1 T Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup
1/2 T Sriracha Sauce
1/2 t Arrowroot Starch
1 T Water
Instructions
Make slaw ahead of time and chill. With mandolin slicer on thin setting, shred cabbage into medium bowl. Add julienned carrots and green onion. In a small bowl mix together the dressing. Dump dressing over slaw and fold until well coated. Refrigerate.
Now work on the ribs. Mix dry rub ingredients together and rub all over ribs top and bottom. Place ribs in a Dutch oven (I like Le Creuset) meat side up. Pour about 1/4 cup of water in (do not disturb the dry rub) so that ribs are barely wading. Cook covered on lowest heat for about two hours. Check water about every 20 minutes to maintain level. This is more important toward the end to prevent burning.
Meanwhile, mix all the sticky sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. At medium heat, bring to boil, whisking constantly. Boil for about 30 seconds or until sauce thickens and becomes sticky. Once the ribs are tender, after about two hours, remove them from the Dutch oven and place in a broiling pan.
Turn conventional oven to broil at 500 degrees. Spoon about four tablespoons of sticky sauce onto ribs. It should stick like glaze. On low rack, broil ribs for about 30 seconds or until glaze starts to bubble but not burn. Remove ribs from oven and let stand five minutes. They are very hot. Cut individual ribs and plate them, two or three ribs per person. Garnish with tops of green onion, sliced. Put leftover sticky sauce in ramekins for mopping. Spoon 1/2 cup of Asian slaw onto the plate as a side.
This dish pairs great with a glass of spicy shiraz or iced jasmine green tea. Enjoy!