STICKY CRANBERRY ORANGE GLAZED PORK RIBS
INGREDIENTS:
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
3 to 3 1/2 pound rack of ribs
For the glaze:
1/2 (14 oz.) can jellied cranberry sauce (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (1 juicy orange)
1/8 cup molasses
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1tbsp. minced jalapeño pepper, de-seeded
INSTRUCTIONS:
Remove the silver skin from the underside of the rack of ribs: slide the tip of a sharp, pointed knife between white/silvery membrane and the bone/meat. Lift and peel 1/2-inch or so of the membrane away from the bone/meat. Grab the loose membrane with a paper towel and peel. The silver skin may come off in sections. Continue to remove each section until all or most of the silver skin has been removed. Discard silver skin.
Combine Kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme in a small bowl. Rub on all sides of ribs. Place ribs in the center of a large sheet of foil. Bring foil together to tent the pork, pinching the edges together and folding them over to create a tight seal. Pinch, fold, and seal foil ends. Transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Remove ribs from refrigerator 1/2 hour before placing in oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Keep ribs in foil and on the baking sheet. Roast for 2 hours or until ribs are falling off the bone tender. If the meat is not tender and the bones do not easily pull away from the meat after 2 hours, cover and return to oven. Continue baking, checking for tenderness after 30 minutes.
About 30 minutes before the ribs are done, make glaze. Place cranberry sauce in a small saucepan on medium heat. Stir, using a whisk as cranberry sauce starts to liquefy. Once cooked down to a liquid, add the remaining glaze ingredients, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until sauce thickens and reduces by half, (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat.
When pork is fork tender, drain all of the liquid from foil. Fold foil down flat onto the baking sheet. Turn oven to HI broil. Turn ribs over with the underside facing up. Brush with half of the glaze. Broil until bubbly and slightly charred (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from oven. Turn ribs over with meaty side up, brush on remaining glaze. Return to oven, broil until bubbly and slightly charred.
Makes 3-4 servings.