Pork Rib Recipe

Prepare ribs

Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and trim excess fat. Cut the rack into 4 bone sections so they will fit easily in a roasting pan or Dutch oven.

Make quick brine/marinade

In a bowl combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir until sugar and salt are mostly dissolved.

Marinate

Place ribs in a nonreactive container or a zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them. Press to ensure ribs are submerged. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (can be up to overnight for more flavor). If refrigerating longer than 4 hours, reduce salt to 1 teaspoon to avoid over-salting.

Preheat and prepare for braising

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Remove ribs from marinade and reserve marinade. Pat ribs lightly dry; season any exposed areas with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Braise ribs

Place ribs bone-side down in a tight-fitting roasting pan or Dutch oven. Add the reserved marinade plus 1 cup water. Cover tightly with lid or heavy foil and transfer to oven. Braise for 2 to 2.5 hours, until meat is very tender and pulling back from the bone.

Reduce liquid and finish

Remove ribs from oven. Transfer ribs to a cutting board and tent with foil to rest 10 minutes. Pour the braising liquid into a saucepan, skim any excess fat, and simmer until reduced slightly (3–5 minutes). Reserve 1/3 cup of the reduced liquid to brush on the meat when assembling sandwiches.

While ribs are braising, make the North Carolina-style vinegar sauce. In a small saucepan combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring so sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes to marry flavors. Taste and adjust heat (add more crushed red pepper) or sweetness as desired. Remove from heat and set aside at room temperature.

Toast buns (optional)

Split the sandwich rolls and butter the cut sides lightly. Toast in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 1–2 minutes per side, or under a broiler for 30–60 seconds—watch carefully.

Shred the ribs

Using two forks or a knife, remove meat from the bones and roughly shred or chop into sandwich-sized pieces. Discard bones. If desired, toss the shredded pork with 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved reduced braising liquid to keep it moist.

Apply sauce

Lightly toss or brush the shredded pork with 2–4 tablespoons of the prepared vinegar sauce depending on desired tang. Reserve extra sauce for serving on the side.

Assemble sandwiches

Place a generous portion (about 3/4 to 1 cup) of sauced shredded pork on the bottom half of each toasted roll. Add 2 pickle slices per sandwich and a handful (about 1/4 cup) of chopped pork rinds for crunch. If using, add a scoop (about 1/2 cup) of coleslaw on top of the pork rinds for creaminess. Cap with the top roll.

Serve

Serve immediately with extra vinegar sauce on the side for drizzling and additional chopped pork rinds for garnish. Each sandwich can be finished with a final sprinkle of crushed red pepper if extra heat is desired.