Smoked Iberico Ribs 400g Recipe

Prep ribs

Pat the 400 g Iberico ribs dry with paper towels. Remove any excess silver skin. Rub the ribs with 1 tbs light olive oil, then season evenly with 1.5 tsp sea salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, 0.5 tsp garlic powder and 0.5 tsp smoked paprika. Let rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the smoker or oven.

Low-and-slow smoke/braise

Preheat smoker to 110°C (225°F) using mild fruitwood or oak. If you don’t have a smoker, preheat oven to 140°C (285°F) and use a shallow pan with liquid. Place ribs bone-side down on the smoker grate. Add 100 ml water to a drip pan under the ribs (or into the roasting pan). Smoke for 1.5–2 hours until the ribs reach an internal temperature of about 70–75°C and are tender but not falling off the bone. If oven-roasting, cover the pan tightly with foil and braise for 1.75–2 hours, checking tenderness after 1.5 hours.

Rest before glazing

Remove ribs from smoker/oven and tent with foil for 10 minutes to relax juices. Keep smoker at low heat (or oven at 120°C) if you plan to finish there for glazing.

Make glaze

Combine 2 tbs hoisin sauce, 1 tbs light soy, 1 tbs oyster sauce, 1 tbs Shaoxing wine, 0.5 tsp dark soy, 2 tbs honey, 0.5 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp grated ginger and 1 clove minced garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring to dissolve the honey and combine flavors, about 2–3 minutes.

Thicken glaze

Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water to make a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook for 30–45 seconds until glossy and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Glaze and finish ribs

Brush a generous layer of the warm Cantonese glaze over both sides of the rested ribs. Return ribs to smoker or oven set to 180°C (350°F) or to a preheated broiler. Heat for 6–8 minutes, then brush a second layer and heat another 4–6 minutes until the glaze is sticky and caramelized but not burned. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing between bones into individual ribs.

Cook sweet potatoes

Place 400 g peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender, about 12–15 minutes. Drain well.

Mash and finish

Return drained sweet potatoes to the warm pan and mash with a potato masher or pass through a ricer for extra smoothness. Add 30 g unsalted butter and 60 ml whole milk, then season with 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp honey if using. Stir until silky and smooth. Keep warm until plating; if too thick, thin with additional milk 1 tbs at a time.

Spoon a generous bed of sweet potato purée onto the plate. Place 3–4 glazed Iberico rib pieces (or the whole rack portion) over the purée. Spoon any remaining glaze from the pan lightly over the ribs. Sprinkle 1 tbsp thinly sliced spring onions and 0.5 tsp toasted sesame seeds across the ribs, and finish with cilantro sprigs if desired. Serve immediately.