Coffee Spice-Rubbed Spareribs

Sweet, savory and ohh so good. These Coffee Spice-Rubbed Spareribs are great to take to a summer picnic or to serve as a mid week dinner.

Ingredients

for the coffee-spice rub:
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons instant coffee
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons sea salt

for the dipping sauce:
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

for the ribs:
2 full (13 rib) racks of pork spare ribs (about 2 lbs. each)

Directions

make the spice rub:
In a small bowl, combine all the seasoning ingredients.

make the dipping sauce:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring all the sauce ingredients to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool.

make the ribs:
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Place the slabs on a baking sheet, liberally apply the rub on both sides and put them in the oven. After 1 hour, rotate the pan and check for doneness every 15 minutes. A skewer inserted between the ribs should meet little resistance. If the meat is still tough, keep cooking.

Remove from oven, put them on a cutting board meaty side down, let them rest for 10 minutes and slice them into individual ribs. Arrange the ribs on a platter and serve the sauce on the side.

Serves 6 as a main course or 6 to 10 as a starter

Recipe hint
The membrane on the underside of the slab must be removed‒-it won’t melt during cooking. Grab a corner of the membrane with a paper towel and pull it away from the bones. Trim off excess fat and pierce the ribs with a fork before applying the rub.

Variation
Tightly cover baking sheet with foil to seal in moisture and steam in the pan. Moist slow cooking keeps the ribs juicy and tender. If the meat has pulled away from the bones, you’re ready to grill.

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