Name: Sticky Spare Ribs Casserole
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 50 mintues
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses; 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder; 1 teaspoon smoked salt or sea salt; 2 1/2–3 pounds pork spare ribs rack; 1 small head of red cabbage (about 2 pounds), shredded; 2 unpeeled Fuji apples, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 6–8 green onions, diced; 1/4 cup dried unsweetened cherries (optional); 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 1/4 cup ghee or lard, melted; 1/2 tablespoon sea salt; 6-quart Dutch oven or a large casserole with lid

Broiled spare ribs over cabbage and apples in an open dutch oven.

Photo by Gabriel Cabrera

Cook ribs over a mix of red cabbage and tart apples in this easy one-pot pork dinner.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 50 mintues
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses

1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder

1 teaspoon smoked salt or sea salt

2 1/2–3 pounds pork spare ribs rack

1 small head of red cabbage (about 2 pounds), shredded

2 unpeeled Fuji apples, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

6–8 green onions, diced

1/4 cup dried unsweetened cherries (optional)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup ghee or lard, melted

1/2 tablespoon sea salt

Special Equipment:

6-quart Dutch oven or a large casserole with lid

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, make the marinade by whisking together the mustard, molasses, five-spice powder, and salt.
Step 3
Pat the ribs dry, remove the membrane, and cut the rack in half. Place the ribs in a baking pan and rub with the marinade on both sides.
Step 4
In the Dutch oven, toss the cabbage, apples, green onions, cherries, cider vinegar, ghee, and salt.
Step 5
Place the ribs on top of the vegetables, meaty side up, cover, and cook for 1 hour.
Step 6
Carefully remove the lid so the steam does not burn you, and switch the oven to broil; broil the ribs for another 10 minutes or until they are brown. Remove from the oven and let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Step 7
Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.