Serves 4 to 6
Notes
Everyone loves ribs, whether barbecued or served some other way—but try this Italian rendition. It’s a great dish to make when you have a larger gathering; just multiply the recipe. Make sure you have one or more large roasting pans, because you want to allow space for the ribs and the potatoes to brown and get crispy. These are something we really get into as a family, because they are finger-licking good, and a lot of finger licking definitely happens when I serve this dish.
Ingredients
- 1 rack pork spare ribs (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into individual ribs
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
- 4 fresh bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 4 medium russet potatoes, peel left on, cut into thick wedges (about 2 pounds)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Pat the ribs very dry with paper towels, and season them with 1 teaspoon salt. Put the ribs in a large heavy-duty roasting pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, and add the garlic, bay leaves, and rosemary. Pour in the stock, and toss to combine everything. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until the ribs are browned and the stock is evaporated, about 45 minutes.
Add the potatoes, and toss them well. Continue to roast until the potatoes begin to take on a little color, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the wine, vinegar, honey, and cayenne in a spouted measuring cup. Drizzle this over the potatoes and ribs, and stir well.
Move the pan to the lowest part of the oven. Continue roasting, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the ribs and potatoes are tender and nicely glazed, about 20 minutes more. Tip the pan, spoon out excess fat, and discard the rosemary and bay leaves. Serve hot.
