Andrea Reusing's Braised Country Pork Ribs

Who says you can't have ribs in the winter? This recipe requires country-style pork ribs, which are trimmed from the shoulder end of a bone-in pork loin. Braising this meat makes it more seasonally appropriate—there's nothing better than tucking in a bowl of tender browned meat and vegetables when it's cold outside.

For more recipes, visit TuttorossoTomatoes.com.

Braised country-style pork ribs with tomato and fennel

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 1 28-ounce can Tuttorosso Peeled Plum Italian Style Tomatoes
• 3 pounds bone-in country-style pork ribs, at room temperature
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons whole fennel seed, toasted and ground
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 1 peeled carrot, thickly sliced
• 1 large fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
• 2 arbol chilies, crumbled if more spice is desired
• 1 cup dry white wine

Procedures:
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2. Separate juice from tomatoes and dice, reserve juice for future recipe.

3. In a small bowl, season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Set aside.

4. Rinse the pork and pat it dry. Season generously with salt, pepper and fennel seed.

5. Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the pork on all sides, taking your time, turning it frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary to avoid scorching.

6. Transfer the pork to a large plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan, and add the garlic, onion, carrot, and fennel in batches, seasoning with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat until they are golden brown and starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside the vegetables with the pork. Add the remaining oil to the pan, toast the chilies briefly before adding the wine, then the Tuttorosso tomatoes to deglaze the pan, scraping any fond with a wooden spoon.

7. Return the pork and vegetables to the pan. Put a piece of parchment or aluminum foil over the meat, folding it down around it so that it makes a snug tent. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the middle of the oven. Cook for 30 minutes, until flavors are melded and pork is still pink at the bone, turning it once or twice to keep all sides moist. Garnish with fennel fronds.