Mangalitsa Ribs - Heaven on a Stick

When I ordered the Wooly Pigs Mangalitsa side through Foods in Season, I was not expecting the entire side, ribs attached. But that's what I got. I carved the rack free of the side and decided that in order to be sure we were tasting only the meat, I'd roast it in the oven. Instructions: Roasted the ribs at 325F on a roasting rack over a shallow drip pan. Checked it at 40 minutes to see if it needed basting. Picture below shows it at that stage.

The fat was sitting in great pools all over everything, and if it could have, it would have derided me soundly for even thinking that basting would be necessary. Let it go another hour and 15 minutes or so - for a total roasting time of just under 2 hours. Then let it rest for 10 minutes on the rack. When I carved into it, the ribs came apart easily and looked like the picture below. The drip pan held a good amount of fat, which I saved to make a gravy for the meat I saved from the carving exercise.

Taking one rib and looking at it closely, the difference between a Mangalitsa and a lean-bred pig is obvious. A lean-bred pig generally has little or no meat or fat on the inside of the ribs. The Mangalitsa, on the other hand, has a very generous fatty layer on both sides.

Eating Notes: Phil said "I like the way you cook ribs, but I'm glad you didn't do anything to these," and I concur. The ribs had the same delicacy and sweetness as the Mangalitsa bacon, even the muscle part of the meat. The fat was an umami rush, and there was no need for a sauce, even for the sake of fun, because there was so much fat it was running down our hands as we ate. These ribs, done so simply, were among the best meat we've ever had and definitely the best ribs. I might try smoking a future batch on Mechazawa-san or give them the lightest of seasonings, but I'd use a very light hand. In fact, for most marinated and "saucey" ribs I'd stick to a lean-bred pig that the stronger taste can balance. But when I'm craving ribs and only ribs, Mangalitsa is my new first choice.