HEALTHIER SPICY CHINESE RIB RUB: Frugal, easy, make-ahead

Healthier rub for that Chinese ribs effect - without a gloopy sugar laden sauce!

Healthier Chinese Spicy Belly Pork Strips/Ribs ' 

'These were lovely and juicy; I usually avoid ribs because they're so messy!' Taster

                                                                                       originally posted Feb 2015

Here's a spiced marinade that will give any cut of pork the quintessential flavour of  Chinese Spare Rib. 

The great thing about this rub is that it's low-almost-no-sugar.  And because the meat is barbecued, roasted, or grilled on a rack, excess fat is released and drained away.   

There's no gloopy sauce here and is so much better for you than the usual take-away.  The effect though, is the same -- the meat is tender, exotically flavoured; it chars slightly, leaving lovely crunchy burnished bits.

Use the marinade on classic ribs, chops, tenderloin or thick strips of shoulder, belly or butt.  It's perfect during a heat wave: prep the meat the night before and it'll be ready by dinnertime.  

Unless you're solely certain that the pork - whatever cut or price - is tender, poaching it beforehand will produce meat that is toothsome but falls off the bone.  Pre-cooking also reduces fat. 

The adapted recipe has been in 67's cookbook for ages but may have been adapted from  the (London) Times.

Feeds: 6-8 (as part if a 3-4 course meal) 
Cost: depends on the meat; £5-10'ish 

Ingred:
1 kilo/2 pounds pork (ribs, chops, tenderloin, thick strips of belly, shoulder or pork butt) 

4 tbsp dry sherry or white wine or grape juice
4 tbsp reduced-salt (not low-salt) soy sauce (if there are salt or blood-pressure issues, replace half the soy sauce with good stock)
1 tbsp sugar (opt)
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1/2 tsp each dried cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 rounded tbsp Dijon or other mild mustard

Method: 

1. Pre-tenderising: Bring a large pan of water to a boil with a couple of onions and carrots (opt)  Immerse meat in the water.  Allow to come to a boil again, reduce heat to med-low.  The water should bubble gently.  Simmer min 30 mins or until meat is tender.  Remove from water.  Cool.
2. Mix sherry, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, mustard and spices in a glass dish or a freezer bag large enough for the meat. Marinade preferably overnight or min 2 hours, turning the meat or mushing it around in the bag at least once.
3. If using the oven, preheat to 160C, 325F, gas 3. 
4. Pour marinade juices into a bowl. 
5. Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake 45mins-1hr, basting frequently with marinade juices, turn halfway through cooking time (Ovens vary: inner temperature should be 70C/150F) 
6. Or BBQ/grill, according to manufacturer's cooking times
7. Serve with hot mustard

Comment: 
'The ribs are lovely - I've never eaten ribs before as they always look so messy. Very juicy; soaked into my bread -- grand!' Political Agent

Tips:   

• 67's recommended reduced-salt soy sauce include Amoy (25% reduced salt) and Pearl River Bridge (35% reduced salt - decant into a container with smaller spigot). 25-35% salt reduced is about right - anything above that percentage suffers from lack of 'body' and taste
• Save time and effort by halving and baking potatoes at the same time or preparing 5-minute Asian noodles.  A quick layered spinach salad makes a well-rounded meal.
• If you love Chinese food but worry about salt and sugar, try Guilt-free Oriental Chicken with Chilli & Pineapple 

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipes has been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.