This is my take on a recipe I collected from Food and Wine Magazine over 15 years ago. It is a classic Mediterranean style recipe that flavors the ribs with a paste or olive oil and herbs and then finishes the meat with a Balsamic glaze. I prefer to slow cook the ribs in the oven with fruit juice and then make a basting sauce by reducing the juices from the meat with the balsamic vinegar and finishing the meat for a few minutes on the grill. Either way I think you’ll enjoy this alternative to traditional American style tomato-molasses-vinegar barbecue ribs. Buon appetito!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

• 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt

• 1 ½ tablespoons fennel seeds

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper (preferably freshly ground)

• 2 teaspoons chopped sage (or a rounded ½ teaspoon powdered sage)

• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme (½ rounded teaspoon dried thyme)

• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or ½ teaspoon for a milder rub)

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

• 3-4 pounds pork spareribs (tough membrane on the bone side removed)

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 cup fruit juice like Cranberry-Pomegranate or Apple cider/juice

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl or spice grinder, combine the dry ingredients (rosemary, kosher salt, fennel, black pepper, sage, thyme, paprika, crushed red pepper, coriander, and allspice) and grind to a coarse mixture. Add the olive oil to the spice mixture in a bowl mix until you have a thick paste. Rub the spice paste all over the spareribs, wrap in plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Arrange the ribs on a rack in a large, rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan, meaty side up. Pour the juice into the pan, cover, and seal the roasting pan with tin foil. Roast the ribs for 2 hours, or until tender.

3. Remove the meat to a platter and tent. Skim off the extra fat and pour the accumulated juices into a saucepan with the balsamic vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer until reduced to a light syrupy consistency. (about 1/3-1/2 cup)

4. Preheat the broiler. Brush the meaty side of the ribs with the balsamic-juice reduction and broil 6 inches from the heat until browned, about 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut between the ribs and serve.

5. Alternatively, brush the ribs with the balsamic-juice reduction, place the ribs meaty side down over a low- to medium-hot grill and grill for about two minutes until you have a nice crisp crust. Monitor carefully so you don’t burn the ribs.

Wine Pair: a slightly spicy medium-bodied red with low acidity or a lighter-bodied Sangiovese-based red like Chianti. Portuguese red wines from the Douro River region as well as the neighboring Spanish reds from the Rio Duero region, or non-leathery Riojas.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tuscan-style-spareribs-balsamic-glaze
Bruce Aidells' Complete Book of Pork