Finger-lickin' ribs

Ribs - I love them. It must be the gnawing. I am an expert gnawer, leaving bones worthy of an archaeological dig. Clean. I irritate fellow rib eaters by starting off with a knife and fork. I get as much meat off the bones as I can and then save the best for last, picking up every single one and pretending to be a cleaner shrimp. Nibble, nibble nibble.

My mom made these ribs when we were growing up, and this is based on her recipe. Given a proper rest, post cooking, these ribs are very tender.

You can play pick-up-sticks with the bare bones afterwards.

Mama's Finger Lickin' Ribs for Two

Two racks pork ribs

¼ cup vinegar, preferably red wine

¼ cup tomato sauce

1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 Tbsp brown sugar

5 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp apricot jam

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Chile flakes to taste

12 twists of the black pepper mill

Mix marinade ingredients and pour over ribs. Leave overnight or for many, chilled, hours.

Place about 4" above hot, grey coals and cook till they start to char a little. Roughly 10 - 12 minutes. Turn once and cook another ten minutes or so. I leave them to rest under foil for ten minutes, then slice them and stack them.

If you are brave, eat them on a salad of: very thinly sliced red onion sprinkled with salt, a little sugar and lemon juice; or -  thinly sliced red cabbage, marinated for ten minutes in red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, then drained.

My pork rib source was Los Paisanos, on Smith Street.