Pork Ribs, Tuscan-Style (For Earthy Red Wines)

This month, my recipes seem to center around ribs. I guess I’m craving these hearty fall-off-the-bone dishes as Autumn approaches. Hope you are too! These ribs are best when slowly cooked using low, indirect heat on your charcoal grill, but they are still delicious when slow-roasted in your oven until tender and crisp. They are generously seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices that compliment the earthiness in a lighter wine, though they do have a bit of spice kick that will fight with high-alcohol wines. What makes them Tuscan is the simple balsamic glaze finish, Balsamic vinegar being a Tuscan specialty. I’ve adapted it here with a touch of vanilla, which helps round it out and bridge more effectively with Pinot Noir and other domestic reds. Other bridge ingredients would include cherry juice or cranberry juice, and I encourage experimentation if these ingredients are handy in your kitchen. Note: This recipe originally appeared as an insert with my October, 2009 shipment to members of my "Pinot Selection" sampling program. Though optimized to showcase an earthy Pinot Noir, it works well with other such wines, such as a good Rhone-style wine (look for with alcohol below 14.5% or it will fight the spicy heat of these ribs) or the old-world wines of Italy. Click here to see some current selections that work well. Ingredients (Serves 6) 2 Tbsp chopped rosemary 1 Scant Tbsp kosher salt 1 ½ Tbsp fennel seeds 2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp Chopped sage 2 tsp Chopped thyme 2 tsp Sweet paprika 1 Pinch crushed red pepper flakes 1 tsp Ground coriander 1 tsp Ground cumin 1/2 tsp Ground allspice 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 6 Lbs pork spareribs 4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 1 Scant tsp vanilla extract Procedure Combine all but the last three ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well mixed. Rub the spice paste over the meaty side of the spareribs and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate for a day. Three hours before your planned mealtime, bring your grill (or oven) up to 300° (this is a low heat, requiring no more than 30 or so briquettes, though you'll need to add five more every 45 minutes or so. Arrange the ribs on the indirect portion of your grill (or on a large, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan if cooking in your oven) with the meaty side up. Roast until tender, about two hours. Remove ribs from heat. Combine the vanilla and balsamic vinegar, then brush the meaty side of the ribs and return to the direct heat side of the grill (or 6” under the broiler) until browned, ~2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut between the ribs and serve. Serving Suggestion: mashed potatoes with chives, gingered carrots.

Adapted from a recipe by Bruce Aidells

DTWM Video Still croppedCheers! Dave the Wine Merchant Note: This recipe originally appeared as an insert with my October, 2009 shipment to members of my "Pinot Selection" sampling program. Though optimized to showcase an earthy Pinot Noir, it works well with other such wines, such as a good Rhone-style wine (look for with alcohol below 14.5% or it will fight the spicy heat of these ribs) or the old-world wines of Italy. Click here to see some current selections that work well.
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