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Braised Spareribs on a Bed of Potatoes

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  • ACTIVE: 30 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 4 HRS 30 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 6
  • •MAKE-AHEAD

An ideal weekend dish—a long braise with very little active cooking—these spareribs become meltingly tender.

  1. One 5 1/2-to 6-pound slab of pork spareribs, excess fat trimmed
  2. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  3. 6 garlic cloves
  4. 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
  5. 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  6. 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
  7. 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  8. 1/2 cup dry white wine
  9. 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
  10. 2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on a mandoline
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Season the ribs all over with salt and black pepper. Using a chef's knife, mash the garlic on a work surface with 1/2 teaspoon of salt to make a paste. In a small bowl, mix the herbes de Provence with the sweet and hot paprika and the coriander. Spread all but 2 teaspoons of the garlic paste on the meaty side of the ribs; rub the remaining paste on the bony side. Sprinkle the spice mix all over the ribs. Set the ribs meaty side up in a large roasting pan. Pour the wine and stock around the ribs, cover with foil and bake for 2 1/2 hours, or until tender.
  2. Increase the oven temperature to 350°. Transfer the ribs to a large plate. Arrange the potato slices in the pan in a single layer. Set the ribs over the potatoes and bake, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours longer, until the potatoes are tender and the ribs are richly glazed. Let the ribs stand for 15 minutes. Using a chef's knife, cut the rack into ribs and arrange on a platter. Serve with the potatoes.
Make Ahead The cooked ribs and potatoes can be refrigerated overnight. Cover and reheat in a 325° oven for about 30 minutes.