Oven Roasted Ribs with Shichimi Togarashi
Ribs are by far one of my favorite special occasion meals. I live for the days of visiting family in the Carolinas, sitting in the sun and digging my teeth into ribs that are about to fall off the bone. Barbecue ribs are fine and dandy, but sometimes it's nice to try a new twist on an old favorite.
As we continue to incorporate flavors from around the world into foods that we already know and love, this is one that we definitely had to try. Shichimi Togarashi is a Japanese spice blend that could once only be found at festivals and shrine sites in Japan. Luckily, today you can find this blend in the United States with all of the traditional ingredients. Shichimi Togarashi is also called Japanese 7 spices and translates to "seven flavor chili pepper," and we love anything with chile peppers!
We used Shichimi Togarashi on our ribs because it has a bit of a quick hitting heat that fades quickly but is also complex and savory with hints of citrus and earthiness. This gives the ribs a unique, almost magical flavor profile. Our Shichimi Togarashi is hand blended from black pepper, cayenne, orange zest, garlic, poppy seed, black sesame and nori (Japanese seaweed).
- 2 pounds beef short ribs
- 1 lemon, sliced thin
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice from 1 lemon - about 2 Tablespoons
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons Shichimi Togarashi
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place ribs in a baking dish and season with 1 Tablespoon of Shichimi Togarashi
- Arrange lemon slices and rosemary on top of the ribs.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour.
- Remove ribs from the oven and let rest, covered for 15 - 20 minutes.
- Transfer ribs to a platter and discard lemon and rosemary.
- Pour juices into a measuring cup and add enough water to bring liquid to 1 cup.
- In a saucepan add reserved juices, minced garlic, lemon juice and remaining Shichimi Togarashi and bring to a simmer.
- Whisk cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon water in a small bowl and add to the saucepan.
- Continue cooking until sauce starts to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Serve with sauce poured over the top of the ribs.
