This report comes from a blog reader based in Berlin. Thank you so much Vera Roth! First, here’s Peter’s recipe, then Vera’s notes on how she made the dish, then her fabulous photos.  All of this makes me want to cook these ribs again RIGHT NOW, they look so delicious!

Peter Falk’s Barbecued Spare Ribs, Chinatown Style

2 teaspoons minced ginger root (or ½ teaspoon ginger)

Scallion/spring onion (white part only), minced

Small clove of garlic, pressed/crushed

1 tablespoon chili sauce

2 ½ tablespoons Hoisin sauce (or hot tomato catsup/ketchup)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 lbs / 900g of lean, baby pork ribs, fat removed

1 tablespoon honey

Prepare marinade by combining all ingredients except ribs and honey; add 1/2 teaspoon salt, blend into a thick paste.  Place ribs in a shallow pan, brush both sides with marinade, let stand at room temperature for two hours.* Halfway through the two hours, turn once, basting both sides with honey.  

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F / 140 degrees C / gas mark 1.  Ribs are cooked in a suspended position, either by attaching magnetic hooks to ceiling of oven or by means of double hooks which may be fashioned by bending the ends of small metal skewers into hooks.  One end of skewer is hooked into fleshy part of ribs and the other end is looped over an oven rack set as high as possible in oven.

Place a foil-lined pan filled with a little water below meat to catch drippings and moisturize meat.  Roast meat for 30 minutes, then turn oven up to 300 degrees F / 150 degrees C / gas mark 2 and roast for another 30 minutes.  Turn oven up to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C / gas mark 6 and bake for 30 minutes or until ribs are crisp but moist.  Serve hot or cold by cutting between each rib.  

Peter suggests serving with duck sauce or hot mustard sauce. 

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Vera’s feedback

Recipe worked! Except, I didn´t hang my spare ribs with metal skewers into the oven (no place for that). I put ´em into a pan, which worked wonderful, next time I put some aluminum foil underneath, so I can catch the dripping.
 
It said it serves 4 as hors-d’oeuvre, I ate it with my husband as a main dish.
 
The butcher recommends pork ribs with a bit more meat on. Ribs with chop (cutlet) which was a good advice so they came out really juicy. I let the marinade suck up the ribs for one night and one day so the marinade could really feed in the meat. I also had no place for some water in the oven, so I put aluminum foil around the ribs later for about 10 minutes (still in the oven). I always do that with meat so I stays warm and can soften.
 
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That’s a top tip Vera, I’m going to put that in the book!  Here are Vera’s great photos of her ribs!
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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