Ming Tsai's Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

College Girl's Note:

Restaurant sweet and sour sauces have NOTHING on this freshly made sauce. The color comes from the cranberries and the zing comes from the ponzu.

• Total Time: 25 hrs 8 mins
• Prep Time: 24 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 8 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 14.0 ribs

• 1 baby back rib rack, brined overnight*
• 1 cup ponzu sauce or 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 large red onions, sliced
• 2 cups cranberries, washed, dried
• 1 cup brown sugar
• salt
• black pepper
• canola oil

Directions:

1. ** Brine method: Use sweet sea water ratio: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup kosher salt to 1 quart water, multiply as necessary to fully submerge pork in a large container. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Rinse under running water before cooking.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the ribs and pat dry. Place brined ribs, cut in two, in pan and cover the pan with about 1/4-inch of ponzu. Cover with foil and place in oven and bake until ponzu is evaporated, about 1 hour.
3. Remove ribs and place pan over medium-high heat and coat with oil. Preheat broiler.
4. In pan, saute ginger and onions until soft and add cranberries. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Deglaze with 1/2 cup ponzu, add brown sugar and cook for about five minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender. Remove stopper from blender top, cover stopper hole with folded over towel and, while placing hand over towel, start blending on low speed. Be careful of the steam rising out of the stopper hole. Adjust to high speed and blend smooth.
5. Brush ponzu-brown sugar mixture on ribs and broil on both sides for about 8 minutes or until sticky. Slice and serve ribs stacked.