The first time I experienced lamb ribs was at Memphis' famed Rendezvous restaurant and since then there has been no turning back. While not readily available at your local grocer, it's worth a call to a butcher to score a couple racks for use in this recipe from Chef Sharon Nahm of E&O in the San Francisco Bay area.
GRILLED ASIAN LAMB RIBS
Ingredients:
2 Lbs Lamb spareribs, Denver Style Cut
1 cup Sweet soy sauce
¾ cup Tamarind puree
¼ cup Korean hot pepper paste (Kochujang)
½ cup Hoisin Sauce
½ cup Fish Sauce
2 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
1 Tbsp Green Jalapeño pepper, seeded, chopped
¼ cup Ginger, peeled and chopped
3 Tbsp Garlic, chopped
¼ cup Honey
2 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the grill for indirect cooking, placing the charcoal on one side of the grill and leaving the other cool. Preheat the grill to approximately 250 degrees. Season the ribs lightly with salt and pepper. Place the ribs on the cool side of the grill, cover the grill, and allow them to cook for approximately 3 hours until tender.
In a medium sized pot, combine the sweet soy, tamarind puree, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, honey, and Korean hot pepper paste. Mix well and place on medium heat on the stove top. In a blender, place the garlic, ginger, jalapeño, sambal, and coriander. Puree until smooth, add into the pot with the rest of the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook for 10-15 minutes. The mixture will slightly thicken and the flavors will come together. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Set aside amount of sauce needed for the ribs. The remainder can be tightly sealed and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Brush with sauce on both sides of the ribs and continue to cook and sauce until the ribs develop a nice thick glaze. Remove and serve.