Sticky Spare Ribs for kids and adults

I didn't try this on my toddler.  Not that I think the flavour wouldn't be great for him but he's never  been one for bones.  I know some kids doing baby led weaning are happily chomping away on chicken drumsticks but, much like his Dad, my son just looks at me oddly if I put something on his plate then say "you don't eat that bit".

So if I did give this a go for the little one, belly pork strips might be the way to go.  As it was, due to the joys (sometimes) of internet shopping, the ribs I got were a bit on the lean side.  No idea how they managed to get lean pork ribs but they did.  I was a bit concerned with the long slow cooking that they'd end up dry.  Testament to a good recipe perhaps that they didn't!

I've been making this recipe for years.  So much so there's a page in my cook book where I've put in the revised proportions, tweaking and changing the recipe until I felt it was 'right'.  So here we are!  A bit healthier than a takeaway, maybe (where the ribs are often fried) but no less tasty for it!

Sticky Spare Ribs - Serves 2-3

Ingredients

900g Spare ribs
2 tbsp Runny honey
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 dried chilli, crushed
Juice of 1 lime
3 cloves of garlic, grated
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Method

Mix all of the ingredients together and put into a baking dish.  Marinate for a couple of hours.

Cover tightly with foil and put into an oven at 150oC / 300F.  After an hour, take out, uncover and give them all a wiggle.  Put back in for another hour.

Remove the foil, by now the ribs should be cooked but if the foil has been pretty tight there should still be quite a bit of liquid.  Stir all the ribs around and return to the oven.  Leave in the oven cooking away and getting more sticky until the ribs are coated and yummy.  Keep an eye on then to make sure they don't burn.  It could be a good idea to finish them off on the barbecue here, if summer ever arrives of course!

Serve with coleslaw or with a more Chinese dish like fried rice.  Yummy!

Oops, all gone!