Spareribs with Secret Chinese BBQ Sauce

From Hugh Carpenter's Pacific Flavors

Jim, Moshe, Amy, & I had these for our five-course New Years Eve 2005 meal. (The other courses included Melon & Prosciutto, Onion Bread, Eggplant Salad, and Santa Barbara Potstickers)

This barbecue sauce creates a wonderful, welcoming aroma as guests arrive for dinner. Spread it across any meat or seafood you plan to barbecue, broil, or roast; it adds a unique flavor. Secret Chinese BBQ Sauce can be made in large quantities and stored indefinitely in the refrigerator.

3 pounds spareribs

Secret Chinese BBQ Sauce

5 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoon plum sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger

Advance Preparation

Have butcher trim cartilage and bone from the top of spareribs.

Cut off the flap of meat on underside of ribs. Aslo on the underside is a tough white membrane; using you fingernail or a sharp pointed knife, loosen membrane along the bone at one edge, then, gripping membrane with a paper towel, pull it away.

Combine ingredients for BBQ sauce.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Roasting Spareribs

Preheat oven to 350. Line a large baking pan with foil. Coat a wire rack with cooking spray, then place rack in baking pan.

Rub spareribs on both sides with BBQ sauce and place on the rack, meat side up. Bake until meat begins to shrink away from the ends of the bones, about 1 hour.

Cut into individual ribs. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

Note: Pork baby back ribs and lamb ribs are also terrific cooked this way.