Name: Cajun Pork Spare Ribs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano; 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika; 2 teaspoons garlic powder (chili powder may be substituted); 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder; 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme; 3 teaspoons sea salt (or 1 ½ teaspoons refined salt); 1 rack pork spare ribs (about 2 kilograms total weight (see notes after the recipe)); ¼ cup Cajun spice; 1 tablespoon salt; ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon; 1 teaspoon dried rosemary; 1 teaspoon lemon and pepper seasoning (available at the grocery); 2 heaping tablespoons dark brown sugar; 2 tablespoons plain mustard; 2 tablespoons ketchup; sliced chilies; chopped parsley

Cajun Pork Spare Ribs

By Connie Veneracion

Fall-off-the-bone tender succulent meat, this dish of Cajun pork spare ribs makes a lovely main dish for a Sunday family dinner. Perfect for the holidays too!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Cajun seasoning, Pork Ribs, Spicy

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 2 hrs 10 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins

Servings 6 people

Author Connie Veneracion

Ingredients

Cajun spice mix

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder chili powder may be substituted
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne powder
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
3 teaspoons sea salt or 1 ½ teaspoons refined salt

Pork ribs

1 rack pork spare ribs about 2 kilograms total weight (see notes after the recipe)
¼ cup Cajun spice
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon lemon and pepper seasoning available at the grocery

For the glaze

2 heaping tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons plain mustard
2 tablespoons ketchup

To garnish

sliced chilies
chopped parsley

Instructions

Make the Cajun spice mix by whisking together all the ingredients (see notes after the recipe).
Wipe the rack of ribs with paper towels.
Whisk together the Cajun spice mix, salt, tarragon, rosemary and lemon and pepper seasoning. Rub all over the ribs.
Wrap the ribs with cling film and allow to marinate for at least two hours in the fridge (or overnight for best results).
Preheat the oven to 300F.
Take the ribs out of the fridge. Discard the wrapping.
Take a large piece of aluminum foil and place it on a baking tray. Lay the ribs on the foil. Take another large piece of foil and lay over the ribs. Gather together the sides of the top and bottom sheets of foil and crimp to seal in the ribs. Make sure that there are air pockets inside the package. You want steam to build up inside to help keep the meat moist.
Cook the ribs in a 300F oven for two hours.
Meanwhile, whisk together in the ingredients for the glaze.
Take the ribs out of the oven.
Turn up the temperature of the oven to 400F.
Carefully unwrap the ribs (be careful of the steam that will escape!) and discard the top layer of foil.
Brush the glaze all over the ribs.
Put the ribs back into the oven and leave for 10 minutes or until the glaze turns into a light sticky crust.
Take the ribs out of the oven. Rest for a few minutes. Cut between the bones. Plate up, sprinkle with sliced chilies and parsley, and serve.

Connie’s Notes

Spare ribs? Not baby back ribs? Well, I’m partial to spare ribs because there is more fat which makes the meat beautifully moist. No reason why you can’t substitute baby back ribs if that is your preference. You may even choose a slab of bone-in pork belly although I would recommend that you cut off the rind. You may even go boneless although you will need to double the amount of seasonings. What I won’t recommend is substituting a lean boneless cut of meat.

Excess Cajun spice mix can be stored in a tightly covered jar at room temperature away from the sun.