Caramelized ribs with peanut butter
First, cook the ribs (you can do this the day before and then refrigerate until ready to use). Place the ribs in a large pot or casserole dish, add 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce, ketchup, and molasses. Add enough water to cover the meat, and bring to a boil.
Ingredients · Servings For 6 people
- 2 kg pork ribs
- 8 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 7 tbsp ketchup
- 4 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 limes
- 150 g peanut butter
- 2 tsp five-spice powder
- 200 g light muscovado cane sugar
Method · 2 h 30 min
- First, cook the ribs (you can do this the day before and then refrigerate until ready to use). Place the ribs in a large pot or casserole dish and add 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce, ketchup, and molasses. Add enough water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 3/4 hour to 1 hour until the meat is tender and falls off the bone easily when pierced with a fork. Drain, let cool, and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a suitable jug or measuring cup, stir the remaining molasses, soy sauce and ketchup into 150 ml of boiling water, along with the fish sauce, lime juice, peanut butter and five-spice.
- Then prepare the caramel. Spread the sugar in the bottom of a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Place it over medium heat and wait until the sugar starts to melt at the edges. When the melted sugar turns a light amber color, carefully stir it towards the center (without splashing the sides of the pan) so that all the sugar starts to look sticky. Continue stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and resembles dark maple syrup. Set aside and very carefully stir in the mixture from the jug or measuring cup. The caramel will sizzle! If some of the caramel hardens, place the pan back on low heat and stir the sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the ribs and let marinate for 30 minutes (or overnight if you have time). Then preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a deep baking tray with baking paper or foil and arrange the ribs in a single layer. Pour or brush the sauce over them (reheat if necessary to loosen it). Bake for 25–30 minutes until the ribs are caramelized and the sauce starts to stick, turning halfway through. Serve with lime wedges for drizzling.