Norwegian Christmas Pork Ribs

pork belly

🥗Healthier: skinless chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Chicken thighs are leaner, while pork shoulder is more affordable.

gravy

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: store-bought sauce

Vegetable broth is lighter and can be made from scraps.

Start preparing the pork ribs 2-3 days before serving.

Choose a rib with good fat marbling and even thickness.

Ensure the bones on the back are cut to make slicing easier later.

Rub coarse salt generously along the ribs, making sure to get it down along the bones.

Flip the ribs and repeat the salting process on the skin side with coarse salt and black pepper.

Place the ribs in a baking dish with the skin side down and cover with aluminum foil.

Before serving, prepare to steam the ribs by placing a bowl at the bottom of the dish to allow fat to drip down.

Add garlic cloves and onion to the dish for flavor.

Pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the dish, then cover the ribs with aluminum foil.

Bake the ribs in the oven at 220°C (428°F) for 45 minutes to steam them.

After steaming, check if the skin is soft enough to score; make cuts about 1 cm apart.

Return the ribs to the oven at 200°C (392°F) for 1.5 hours, adding water as needed to prevent burning.

Near the end of cooking, increase the oven temperature to 240-250°C (464-482°F) to crisp the skin, monitoring closely to avoid burning.

Allow the ribs to rest for 25-30 minutes before slicing, wrapping them in a clean kitchen towel to retain heat.

Slice the ribs with a sharp knife, placing them skin side down for easier cutting along the bones.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary