Orange Soy Baby Back Ribs

My mom makes a yummy Asian-soy baby back rib.  I actually prefer it to barbecue-flavored ribs.  Not that I would ever turn down barbecue-flavored ribs, mind you.  And coming from Memphis, TN, I do love me some barbecue-flavored ribs.  But there's something so deliciously scrumptious about soy ribs.  As in soy sauce, not ribs made out of tofu.  Please.

My mom's ribs, though they have great flavor, always come out dry.  Almost jerky-like.  She's one of those people who likes to cook her meat to death.  Her ribs are dry.  Her chicken is dry.  Her steaks are well-done, which to me is inedible.  So I thought I'd try adapting her soy ribs to my liking - I boiled them first, then finished them off in the oven.  They are fall-off-the-bone tender with nice outside color.

I had a big, juicy navel orange on my counter today begging to be eaten, so I incorporated it into the ribs.  Delish!

Orange Soy Baby Back Ribs

 

Ingredients:

• 2 to 2.5 lb. pork baby back ribs
• 1 cup soy sauce, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 teaspoons cumin powder, divided
• water
• zest and juice of 1 large sweet navel orange, about 1/3 cup
• Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic
• 1 tablespoon honey (more if the orange is tart)

Directions:

• Place the ribs in a large pot.  Add 3/4 cup soy sauce, minced garlic and 1 teaspoon cumin powder.  Add enough water to cover the ribs.  Bring pot to a boil, then reduce to simmer.  Cover the pot leaving a crack open and continue simmering until the ribs are tender, about 2 hours.  When they are done, transfer the ribs to a plate and discard the cooking water.
•  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
• In a small sauce pan, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, the orange juice and orange zest, a few dashes of TSGG, and honey.  Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is reduced by a third, about 10 minutes.
• Place the ribs in a single layer onto the baking sheet.  Brush the orange soy sauce liberally over each rib and bake for 10 minutes until they get a nice brown crust.  Flip the ribs over, brush with more orange soy sauce and bake for another 10 minutes.

Enjoy!  We sure did.  :-D