Southern Italian Braised Pork Ribs in Tomato Sauce

(from castro15’s recipe box)

Categories: Pork

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 lbs country-style pork ribs, bone-in
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 lb pancetta, finely diced
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, shredded
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 orange rind, cut in 3 strips
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 4 cups hot chicken broth
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, pour warm water over the dried porcini and let sit for about 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop them into small pieces.

  2. In a stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the ribs in the oil, browning them all over, for about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the browned ribs to a platter and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt.

  3. In the same skillet, cook the pancetta over medium heat, until it begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the celery, carrot, and diced mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the orange rind. Place the ribs back in the pan, along with any accumulated juices. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the soaking water from the mushrooms and enough broth to cover the ribs, along with the bay leaves and rosemary. Bring to a boil.

  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 2-2 1/2 hrs, checking every 20 minutes or so and adding additional broth or water as needed to keep the ribs covered, until the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender.

  5. Transfer the ribs to a platter. Discard the bay leaves. herb stems, and orange rind, as well as any bones or bone fragments that have ended up in the sauce. Pull the meat from the bones and shred. Stir the meat into the sauce, discarding the bones, and season with salt and pepper.

  6. Serve the meat and sauce over pasta or rice, or alongside vegetables.

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