Apples aren’t just for salads and desserts. Apples are a fantastic addition to savory dishes too.
Cook’s notes
The subtle heat of the stew is derived from two ingredients. The first is ginger juice and the second is chili flakes. Bottled ginger sauce was used here (check your Asian grocery) but, if you don’t have it, just use freshly grated ginger with the juice.
To give the stew a lovely citrusy and piney aroma, there’s rosemary. I used two sprigs which I stripped (the stems were discarded). If using dried rosemary, you may optionally soak the herb in a little oil for a few minutes to soften before using.
Balsamic vinegar gives the stew a beautiful flavor and deep color. You don’t need a lot. Two tablespoons are quite enough. Overdo it and the stew will turn an unattractive shade of brown.
We use Korean chili flakes for any dish that requires chili flakes. They are sweetish and the heat is quite mild. More than adding flavor to the stew, chili flakes also balances the brownish color of Balsamic vinegar and gives the dish a light reddish tint.
You’ll need cooking apples for this dish — the kind that won’t liquefy during the hour-long cooking time. Granny Smith apples were used here (because they were what we had); Washington, Gala and Fuji apples will yield just as good results. Note, however, that if you use tart apples, you’ll need to add more sugar to the cooking liquid to balance the flavors.
The actual cooking time depends on the quality of the meat and the thickness of the slices. If the liquid runs dry before the pork is done, pour in water, a quarter cup at a time. Taste the sauce occasionally too and adjust the seasonings, if needed. You may need to add sugar if the apples you used are on the tart side.
There will be very little sauce by the time is dish is cooked. And what little sauce there is should be thick. If that’s what you’re seeing, then, you cooked the dish right. It’s a stew, not a soup, after all.
Pork baby back ribs and apple stew
Ingredients
- 800 grams pork baby back ribs (about 1.7 pounds) cut between the bones
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 onions peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cooking apples peeled and diced
- 2 sprigs rosemary stripped and stems discarded
- 1 tablespoon ginger sauce or one tablespoon grated ginger with the juice
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili flakes
- salt to taste
- sugar to taste
Instructions
- Dry the ribs with a kitchen towel then toss with lemon pepper seasoning. Place in a covered bowl and marinate overnight in the fridge.
- Dredge the ribs in flour and shake off the excess.
- Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed pan and brown the floured ribs.
- Add the sliced onions, stir, and leave for a minute or so until the onion slices start to soften.
- Stir in the diced apples.
- Stir the ginger sauce in a cup of water and pour over the pork and apples.
- Sprinkle in the rosemary.
- Pour in the Balsamic vinegar.
- Sprinkle in the chili flakes.
- Bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer the pork and apples until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Taiwanese braised pork belly