Pork rib – “varkribbetjie”

Pork rib party platter.

Pork back rib is a popular item here and is often found on special in supermarkets. This week I was able to buy one pack (2-3 pounds) and get two free – which gave me a large pot full of delicious, low-fat pork rib portions.

Although pork rib is delicious barbecued, my favorite way of preparing it is long, slow cooking in the oven until the meat is tender and almost ready to fall from the bone. At this point one has the option of adjusting the flavor, making a gravy and perhaps putting the meat under the grill for a few minutes to brown/crisp slightly – or putting it away in the fridge or even the freezer for future use.

These tender pieces of rib can be re-heated on the barbecue grill (brushed with a bit of marinade or sprinkled with a rub), in the oven covered with foil or in a pan with some gravy or stock. It is always delicious as are all stews/bredies when re-heated.

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Pork rib party platter

Ingredients

• 1-2 packs lean pork back ribs
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
• flour for dredging
• soy sauce
• water
• 1 8-ounce can pineapple rings in pineapple juice, drained – retain juice
• cornstarch
• soy sauce
• cherries – glacé or fresh

Instructions

1. Cut the pork rib into serving portions.
2. Layer into a heavy-based pot or Dutch oven with the onion, garlic, a liberal sprinkling of soya sauce and flour.
3. Bake at 350˚F for 2-2½ hours – see Notes – until tender.
4. Remove the meat from the pot and arrange on a suitable, ovenproof platter.
5. Make the gravy on the stovetop by adding sufficient water to mix with and loosen the brown, burnt-on bits from the base and sides of the pot.
6. Add the pineapple juice and stir in some cornstarch mixed with soy sauce or water, to thicken the gravy. Season to taste.
7. Spoon some of the gravy over the meat and garnish with pineapple rings and cherries.
8. Cover with foil and heat through in the oven just before serving.
9. Remove the foil and put under a hot grill to brown/crisp slightly – optional.

Notes

The pork rib I bought from Rodenburg’s Continental Butchery in the Strand – before 2001 - had a thin fat layer that crisped and browned under the grill. The pork rib I get here in Scottsdale is very lean with virtually no fat.

The amount of meat in the pot will determine how quickly it cooks and also whether it will cook dry after, perhaps an hour.
Check the meat to make sure that it isn’t browning too much. Add hot water as necessary – slow, moist cooking is what we want here.
The oven temperature can be lowered to 300˚F after an hour - until the meat is tender.

The vivid color of glacé cherries is striking. So far I have only found glacé cherries made with high fructose corn syrup here. The fresh cherries are a treat – and also work well.

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