"Braised & Glazed" Applejack Pork Ribs Recipe

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(Serves 4)

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Ingredients

• 2 Racks of Baby Back Ribs (Cut into 2 rib portions)

• ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour

• 10 Cloves of Garlic (Peeled and crushed with a knife)

• 2 Inches of Fresh Ginger (Peeled and Sliced)

• 2 Tsp of Red Pepper Flakes

• 2 Tsp Sesame Oil

• 2 Star Anise

• 10 Black Peppercorns

• ¼ Cup Soy Sauce

• ¼ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

• 1 Cup Chicken Stock

• 1 White Onion (Peeled and Sliced)

• 1 Piece Fresh Lemon Grass

• 1 Lemon (washed and sliced)

• 2 Tablespoons Honey

• ½ Cup Applejack Brandy (Bourbon will work too)

• ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil

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Instructions

1. Heat ½ the vegetable oil in a thick bottomed frying pan.

2. Dust the ribs with the All Purpose Flour and brown them in the pan on a high heat until they are beautiful and golden in color.

3. Remove the ribs from the pan. Then, in the same pan add the rest of the vegetable oil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, star anise and peppercorns.

4. Cook for two minutes and then add ½ the Applejack Brandy, the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and the chicken stock.

5. Cook Gently for two minutes, stirring to combine.

6. Layer the bottom of a large oven proof dish (you may have to do this in two dishes, so just split the braising liquid evenly between them) with slices of onion and lemon.

7. Crush lemon grass stalk and add to the oven dish.

8. Lay the ribs on top of the onions and lemon.

9. Pour over the braising liquid and all its contents over the ribs. REMEMBER this is braising, not stewing, so the liquid should only be about ½ way up the ribs.

10. Cover the oven dish securely with two layers of foil (you don’t want any steam to escape) and place in an oven pre-heated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

11. Allow to cook for 90 minutes.

12. After 90 minutes, remove the ribs from the pan and place on a baking tray.

13. Strain the contents of the oven dish and place the liquid in a saucepan.

14. Add the remaining ½ of the Applejack.

15. Reduce the liquid on a gentle heat until it is a thick almost syrupy consistency.

16. Add the honey to the liquid.

17. Place the ribs back in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven and cook for 15 minutes basting with the reduced braising liquid. Turn once during this period so that both sides get a good coating.

18. Serve with your favorite rib sides (I like to do stir fried sprouts and apple sauce) and the remaining reduced braising liquid.