03/06/2022
When I was a starving artist in NYC many long years ago, any time I was flush (it wasn't often!), I'd order Chinese food from the place around the block, and I'd always get the spare ribs. They were tender, sticky, sweet, redolent with exotic spices, and RED. Like 1970 Chevelle SS red. I haven't seen spare ribs on a takeout menu in years, and I've been missing 'em! What I didn't know then was that those ribs were the latest chapter in centuries-long Cantonese barbecue tradition known as "char siu". My goal with these char siu pork ribs was to recreate that vivid sense memory of picking up one of those bright red ribs and tearing into it with my incisors, but to make it even better with the addition of hours of hickory smoke. Safe to say: mission accomplished. They're a flavor BOMB. I wasn't able to get them quite as red as a 70 Chevelle, but they're just as likely to knock your head back!
