Enjoying Pork Riblets
Last night I really wanted something fairly low carb and tasty for dinner. Normally, I default to chicken wings, but today I just wanted pork riblets.
“What are riblets?” A riblet is an alternative to ribs. The actual riblet is the portion of a loin back rib (or baby back rib) that is cut off at the top (nearest the back bone) to give the rib a more uniform look. Loin back ribs don’t always have this removed. When not removed they have a rounded look to them and are often referred to as baby back ribs. Riblets used to be thrown out by butchers, but have become popular due to their excellent flavor and lower cost. (From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riblets)
Now for the preparation:
Seasonings:
- Garlic Powder (1 teaspoon)
- Sazon (This is a seasoning packet easily found in stores in NYC, but difficult to find in the Seattle area) (3 packets)
- Kosher Salt (0.5 teaspoons plus a little more to finish the dish)
I cut up about four pounds of riblets into single rib sections. Then, I coated the ribs the seasonings and deep fried them at 355 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Note: You can use flour or cornstarch if you want a crust, but I have found that cooking the riblets a little longer is good enough for a crispy outside.
Before:
After:
Presentation:
A little lime juice squeezed over the top provides a nice balance to the pork fat in the riblets.
So if you are looking for an alternative to wings, riblets are the way to go.
Beer goes great with riblets…
