Thai Slow-Cooked Pork Ribs - Recipe

Cooking pork spare ribs low and slow in the oven is an easy way of reproducing some of the conditions that pit masters have when they're making barbecued ribs, brisket and even whole animals. Of course, if you actually have a wood-burning outdoor barbecue that's capable of long, slow cooking (and are willing to watch it closely for several hours, to feed the fire and maintain the temperature), by all means use that - it will taste far better than using the oven, because the meat will have a smoky flavour.

But using an oven is far easier because the heat is steady. Once the ribs are in the oven, you only need to check them after about three hours, to see how they're coming along. I like pork ribs to be tender, but not so soft that you can pull them apart. At 110°C (230°F), this takes about four hours for rib racks that weigh 500g (18oz). If you like the meat to be softer, cook them longer.

If you have the choice between baby back ribs and spare ribs, choose the latter, because the meat is moister. Ribs are usually sold with the tough membrane on the underside removed; if not, insert a knife underneath the membrane and, grasping it firmly, peel it off - it will usually come off in one piece.