Dan Lepard's slow-cooked Campari ribs recipe

Dan Lepard
Sticky, slow-cooked Campari pork ribs.
Sticky, slow-cooked Campari pork ribs. Photo: William Meppem
Dietary
Gluten-free

A slow day at home means you can be around while these pork ribs cook to tenderness in the oven. When you're ready to eat they can be brushed with a bittersweet Campari glaze and quickly baked until sizzling. The Campari flavour is subtle, which is good, but if you want it more pronounced you could rub extra into the ribs before salting. Allow about five hours from salting to final baking with the glaze.

Ingredients

about four 400g packs of barbecue pork ribs

4 tsp coarse sea salt

Spice rub

4 tsp ground cumin

4 tsp smoked sweet paprika

1-2 tsp chilli powder

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cocoa

Campari glaze

2 tbsp Campari

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp tomato paste

salt to taste

Method

1. Place the ribs in a mixing bowl, rub the salt over them then place in the fridge for an hour. This salting helps to keep the ribs extra moist during their slow bake.

2. To make the spice rub, put the cumin, paprika, chilli powder, cinnamon and cocoa into a small bowl and mix well to combine.

3. Place the ribs in a roasting dish, pour in 200ml water to produce lots of steam, and sprinkle half the spices over. Rub spices into the ribs. Cover the dish tightly with foil, place in a cold oven, switch it on to 150C (130C fan-forced) and bake for about three  hours.

4. Remove the dish from the oven, peel the foil back carefully, flip the ribs over and rub on the remaining spice, making sure there's still one centimetre of water in the base of the dish.

5. Re-cover with foil and bake for a further hour, or until the meat is very tender. At this point you can cool, drain and refrigerate them.

6. To make the glaze, measure the Campari, sugar and tomato paste in a small bowl and stir to combine. Add salt to taste.

7. To serve, place the ribs on a baking tray covered with nonstick paper, brush with the Campari glaze, and bake at 190C (170C fan-forced) until piping hot and sizzling.

Serve with Dan Lepard's spinach and rosemary macaroni cheese.

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