Food has come a long way since growing up in the 60s and 70s. One of my favorite foods as a kid was the fried rice and spare ribs from the “Spanish Chinese” takeout place on Bergen Line Avenue in Union City. I don’t know the name of the place and I’m betting it is long since gone. It was near the live poultry market. I’m guessing between 51sth and 54th street. Yeah yeah, mom’s from Cuba, but we didn’t call this place Latino back then. They were Spanish speaking Chinese people, and I can only assume Cuban, but I’ll never know.
Anyhow, I loved the flavor of those ribs. Wasn’t until I was in high school that I experienced the likes of Bobby Rubino’s or Tony Roma’s where the ribs were totally different. Now we were talking baby back ribs and the feature was that they fall off the bone and the sauces were oh so good, but still nothing like the spareribs that I grew up with.
Look at the ribs you can get today from different places. Go ahead and try to not sing the “baby back baby back baby back” ribs song from Chilies, or quote “Fat Bastard’s” line from Austin Powers.
I probably will take a crack at trying to replicate some authentic “Char Siu” ribs. And will also share when I do dry rub and other smoked ribs, but today I’m celebrating the ribs from Cindy Pawlcyn’s book.
My across the street neighbor came home from Napa Valley and brought me this book. Big Small Plates By Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards Grill. ISBN - 1580085237
All of the recipes that I have tried are excellent. My only complaint is that all of the recipes have 1,000 ingredients. Not literally, but if you look at the marinade below, you can see that it is quite complex.
If you do get the book, make sure you make the Tres Leches cake.
The marinade:
½ cup hoisin sauce
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons tamari
2 ¼ teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 ¼ teaspoons rice vinegar
1 or 2 scallions white and light green parts minced
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
¾ teaspoon black bean chili sauce or hot garlic sauce
¾ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 ¼ teaspoons minced garlic
¼ to ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
This is the marinade recipe for 1 to 1 ½ racks of ribs. I did 3 racks, so I tripled the recipe.
Mix the ingredients and marinate the ribs overnight. I have been known to marinate for up to a week. This time it was a day and a half. For best results, marinate for at least 3 days.
What happens next is up to you. You can cook them in the oven at 250° F for 3 hours, or until they are fall of the bone but not dried out. And then quick broil to crisp them.
Or, do what I did and put them on the smoker for 3 – 4 hours at 250° F and then quick grill at the end.
You just need to keep an eye to get them to the proper doneness. You want them fall off the bone, but not dried out.
Kiss yourself for making deliciousness
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