Dad’s off-menu ribs

I’ve always liked to think that food is how my parents express their love to us. We didn’t have big heart-to-hearts or have family day trips, but watching dad painstakingly braise pork ribs until they fell off the bone for our enjoyment and satisfaction was all I needed to see. This sweet, sour, spicy and umami pork ribs recipe is my father’s secret off-the-menu dish. We typically served a skinnier deep-fried barbecue version of ribs on the takeaway menu for customers, but we reserved the fattier, succulent, bite-sized version for our family meal. I loved watching him huddle over the hob, checking the temperature and occasionally stirring to prevent burning. Going from one corner to the other, rummaging around the kitchen and scouring fridge shelves looking for the right sauces, splaying out almost every condiment we had on the silver worktop island. No matter how many times I make it, it’s never as good as his version. Be patient with this one, as time is the most important factor for tender meat.

Try our recipe for dad’s off-menu ribs, then try BBQ peanut pork ribs, sticky Chinese ribs or miso-glazed ribs with slaw.