Costelles de porc agredolces (sweet and sour pork ribs)

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Preheat the oven to 120C/ 250F/Gas 1⁄2. In a roasting pan large enough to hold the spareribs, melt the lard over a medium heat. Generously season both sides of the ribs with salt. Add them to the pan, submerging them completely in the lard. Add the peppercorns and bay leaves, and cover the pan tightly with foil. Transfer it to the oven and bake for around 2.5-3 hours, until the meat is very tender and pulls away easily from the bone.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic, stirring constantly to be sure the garlic swims freely in the oil. Reduce the heat to
low and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the garlic chips are evenly golden brown and they sizzle less aggressively. Drain the chips in a small colander set over a bowl, reserving the garlic-flavored oil in
a glass mason jar (it will keep for several weeks, chilled). Turn the garlic chips out onto kitchen paper to drain and season with salt.

When the ribs are done, transfer them to a chopping board to cool slightly.

Heat the grill with a rack in the highest position in the oven. Line a baking tray with foil.

When the pork is cool enough to handle, slice between the bones to cut the racks into individual ribs. Brush both sides of the ribs with salsa barbacoa to coat completely, reserving some for a second brushing. Arrange on the lined baking tray and grill for around 2 minutes, until the sauce is thick and sticky to the touch. Flip the ribs with tongs, brush with more sauce, and continue grilling for around 2 minutes more, until the sauce begins to char in spots. Sprinkle the ribs with the garlic chips and serve immediately.

For the salsa barbacoa (barbecue sauce)

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering,
add the onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for around 10 minutes, until the onion is almost translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring often, for around 3 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Increase the heat to high, stir in the whiskey, and cook for around 5 minutes, until the whiskey almost completely evaporates. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard and stir as the sauce comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes more, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of ketchup.

Transfer to a food processor or blender (pulling out the centre cap from the lid to allow steam to escape if using a blender), and carefully purée until smooth. (Alternatively, use a stick blender to blend in the pan until smooth.) Store the sauce in glass storage jars, chilled, for up to 3 weeks.