Spareribs (USA, UK)

Pork spareribs are a treat everywhere, though no other nation holds them in quite the same esteem as the United States. They should be cut from the breast of the pig, but so great is the demand in the United States, that spareribs are also cut from the shoulder and loin. However, these lack the nutty richness of breast ribs. The breast cut is triangular, with the broad end and longer bones being more meaty. When buying spareribs, allow about 1 lb/500 g of ribs per person.

Ribs are traditionally cooked on a barbecue, but this must be done slowly, with frequent basting, so that fat is thoroughly drained and meat is tender. A safer approach is to parboil ribs just until tender, about 30 minutes, or to bake them in a 350°F/175°C oven for about 45 minutes. They are then cut into pieces to barbecue or broil.