Sticky Bourbon & Maple Glazed Pork Spare Ribs

We live very close to a wholesale meat market and I have been known to get a bit excited when there is space in the freezer and I have need to visit the butcher. Usually, we will go there for just one thing - a tray of lamb loin chops, for example - and I will leave with four bags of other things, useful stuff, like lamb shanks, beef chuck, wagyu striploin, big slabs of aged rump steak, and, most recently, trays of American Style Pork Ribs. Needless to say, there are lots of little treasures contained in my deep freeze, and sometimes I don't get to things as quickly as I should.

In an attempt to curtail expenditure and spend some weekends at home, Mr W&W and I have been making a conscious effort to Use What We Have, to Make Do, and to forge a delicious dinner from already purchased pantry and freezer items. On Sunday night, after flipping through one of my little handwritten books containing recipes and food ideas, I stumbled upon my notes for Maple & Bourbon Glazed Pork Ribs, and realised I had most of everything I needed to bring this together (and could substitute for those things I did not have).

These were scrummy - really, satisfyingly, tasty. I love a smokey barbeque rib like the next person, but these babies are delicious in their own, sweet, sticky, alcoholic way. They are poached before baking to ensure a soft, tender flesh, and the syrup and alcohol in the glaze only serves to caramelise in the oven. Just make sure you wrap your baking tray in plenty of foil and parchment to ensure an easy cleanup, because otherwise these little chaps are messy!

(Serves 2 hungry gluttons - use 1.5-2kg ribs for 4 people with side dishes)

What you need:

1-1.5kg American style pork spare ribs, cut into 5 or 6 ribs per portion

For poaching -

1 tbs whole black peppercorns
4 whole garlic cloves, bruised with the side of a knife
2 bay leaves
cold water, to cover ribs

For glaze -

1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbs runny honey
1/2 cup bourbon
3 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp cayenne pepper

What to do:

Place the ribs in a big pot with the poaching ingredients and enough cold water to cover the meat comfortably. Bring to the boil and then turn down heat to low, allowing the ribs to simmer gently for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the glaze ingredients and preheat oven to 200C.

Remove the poached ribs from the poaching pot and dip into the glaze, coating the ribs thoroughly on both sides. Place in a single layer on a lined baking dish and bake 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste the ribs on both sides with the remaining glaze and return the ribs to the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until the glaze has caramelised.

I will leave side dishes up to you, but I served these with some steamed brocolli to add some nutrition to all this sticky, porky gluttony!