I’ve got nothing against hot dogs and burgers on the 4th of July, but this year I was in the mood to sink my teeth into some juicy, messy, fall-off-the-bone tender ribs. I did not, however, feel like playing pit mistress and firing up the grill. No problem. I came up with an absolutely mouthwatering, (relatively) easy alternative–Oven-Baked Pork Spareribs with Bourbon Peach Glaze. The meaty slab of spareribs are first liberally seasoned with a dry rub, allow to rest for a few hours in the refrigerator, then covered in foil and baked low and slow (280°F) for about 1 1/2 hours. While the ribs are cooking, I make a thick and chunky glaze by sautéing chopped onion and garlic in a little rendered bacon fat (for smokey flavor), then adding a couple of peaches cut into in chunks, cider vinegar, maple syrup, molasses, dijon mustard, worchestershire sauce, sea salt, black pepper, tomato paste and a few dashes of Louisiana hot sauce. The mixture simmers for about 5 mins. to thicken, then I add a good splash of bourbon to finish. After the ribs have bake for 90 mins., take the foil cover off and slather the ribs with about 1/3 of the glaze. Continue baking the ribs for another hour, basting them a couple times with more of the glaze in the process. When the ribs are tender, transfer them under the broiler for about 3-4 mins. to caramelize the surface.
Oven-Baked Pork Spareribs with Bourbon Peach Glaze
- 4-4.5 lbs. Pork Spareribs, patted dry
Dry Rub:
- 3 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbsp. Sea Salt
- 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
- 2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 tsp. Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
- 1/2 tsp. Dried Thyme
Combine the dry ingredients and rub generously throughout surface of the ribs. Set the spareribs in a foil-lined shallow pan, cover with foil and refrigerate for at least two hours. Let the ribs stand at room temperature for 20 mins. before baking in a pre-heated 280°F oven.
Bourbon Peach Glaze:
- 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. Rendered Bacon Fat
- 2 Ripe Peaches, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 cup Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Maple Syrup
- 1/4 cup Molasses
- 1 tsp. Worchestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp. Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
- 3-4 dashes Hot Sauce (e.g. Crystal)
- 1/4 cup Bourbon
Since the ribs took a few hours to cook, I had plenty of time to kick back and enjoy a cocktail (or two), while watching the original (no sequels please) Independence Day (1996).
In keeping with the stone fruit and berries vibe of the summer, I whipped up a refreshing Blackberry Peach Sparkler–homemade blackberry syrup, gin, peach liqueur, and lime juice, topped off with chilled sparkling wine.
Blackberry Peach Sparkler
- 1.5 oz. Gin
- 2 oz. Blackberry Syrup*
- 1 oz. Peach Liqueur (e.g Mathilde Peche)
- 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- 4 oz. Chilled Sparkling Wine
- Peach Slices, Blackberries and Lime Slice for garnish
Combine the gin, blackberry syrup, peach liqueur and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with 3-4 ice cubes. Shake and strain into a chilled glass and top with chilled sparkling wine. Garnish with skewer of peach slices and blackberries and lime slice.
*To make blackberry syrup, simmer a pint of fresh blackberries with 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and juice of one lemon for about 5 mins. Puree mixture until smooth and strain. Keep chilled until ready to use.
No 4th of July celebration is complete without pie and fireworks. I made Peach-Blackberry Hand Pies…because one should be able to eat pie while looking up at the sky. Happy 4th of July!
Peach-Blackberry Hand Pies
Yield: about 10
- One Recipe Pate Brisee
- 3 Ripe Peaches, diced into 1/2″ pieces
- 1 pint Fresh Blackberries
- 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch or Tapioca Starch
- pinch of Sea Salt
- 3 Tbsp. Sugar
- Juice of 1/2 Lemon
- 3 Tbsp. Heavy Cream
- Turbinado Sugar for sprinkling
Roll the pate brisee dough out to 1/8″ thickness and punch out 4″ disks; keep the disks chilled until ready to use. In a bowl, gently toss together the peaches, blackberries, starch, salt, sugar and lemon juice. Place about one tablespoon of the peach-blackberry mixture on the upper half of the dough round. Dab a little cream along the bottom edge and fold dough over the filling, sealing the edges. Use a fork to crimp the edges. Place the formed hand pies on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush the surfaces with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Pierce each pie in the center with a fork to create vent holes. Bake the pies at 400°F for about 25-30 mins., until golden brown.
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