Southern spare ribs with blackjack sauce

Annabel Langbein Media

For fall-off-the-bone lip-smacking ribs, cook the ribs first until they are tender and then baste with sauce to make them sticky and sweet.

For the ribs

2 ⅕ kgs

Pork ribs, choose meaty ones, use up to 2.5kg, cut into double-rib sections (Main)

For the blackjack sauce

2 Tbsp	Neutral oil
1	Small onion, finely diced
3	Garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup	Black coffee, very strong, instant coffee is fine
¼ cup	Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup	Tomato sauce
¼ cup	Brown sugar
2 Tbsp	Cider vinegar, or spiced vinegar
1 Tbsp	Butter, or use oil
1 tsp	Chilli powder
½ tsp	Chilli flakes
½ tsp	Salt

Directions

1. To make sauce, heat oil and cook onion over medium heat until soft. Add garlic and sizzle for a few seconds. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat, stirring now and then, until lightly thickened (about 30 minutes).
2. Preheat oven to 160C fanbake and line 2 large shallow roasting trays with baking paper for easy clean-up. Arrange pork ribs in the prepared dishes, pour over the Blackjack Sauce and turn to coat.
3. Cover dishes tightly and bake for 1½ hours, then remove covers, turn over ribs and tip their juices into a pot. Turn up oven to 200C and continue cooking ribs, uncovered, until golden (another 15 minutes). Simmer sauce until reduced and lightly thickened (about 10 minutes). Brush sauce over cooked ribs and serve the remainder in a jug.

More classic American recipes from Annabel

• Pickled cabbage and cucumber slaw
• Apple and blackberry coconut crisp