Recipe courtesy of Richmond Flores for Food Network Kitchen

Glazed Pork Adobo Riblets with Green Mango Salsa

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 1 hr 30 min
  • Active: 30 min
  • Yield: 6 servings
Sweet, savory and deeply flavorful, these pork adobo riblets are made for sharing, whether you’re hosting the Big Game, a backyard cookout or a casual get-together. Filipino shrimp paste, vinegar and coconut cream give the tender pork its signature salty, tangy richness, while brown sugar helps create a deeply caramelized, glossy sauce. Thai chiles bring a touch of heat, and a bright green mango salsa cuts through the richness with fresh, tart crunch. Serve with plenty of jasmine rice—and napkins.

Ingredients

Riblets:

Green Mango Salsa:

Directions

  1. For the riblets: Heat the canola oil in a large enameled cast-iron braiser over medium heat. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the oil and cook until it begins to melt. Add the pork riblets and stir to coat them in the sugar mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until the riblets begin to brown and caramelize, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the shrimp paste, liquid seasoning, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, onion and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the pork is tender, about 30 minutes.
  3. Remove the lid and add the coconut cream, oyster sauce, chiles and remaining 6 tablespoons vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and maintain a rapid simmer. Cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally to scrape up any browned bits, until the fat begins to separate and the sauce is thick, glossy and reduced by about half, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss the riblets together with the sauce until thoroughly coated.
  4. For the green mango salsa: Meanwhile, combine the mango, vinegar, chiles, scallions, tomato and onion in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
  5. Transfer the riblets to a serving platter and spoon some of the thickened sauce over the top. Garnish with the green mango salsa and serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Cook’s Note

For the riblets, ask your butcher to cut racks of spareribs lengthwise in thirds, then individually. You can sometimes find riblets sold in Asian markets. Most shrimp paste is fermented. This brand has been cooked in aromatics and stored in oil, so a foundation of flavor has been built in from the process and the saltiness is mellower. If substituting with regular shrimp paste, be mindful of the saltiness and add in increments while tasting.