Stonehenge Pork Ribs with Honey and Blackberries
Roasted pork ribs with blackberries and honey with Stonehenge Nettle and Hazelnut Soup
City/Region: Britain
Time Period: 3000-1500 BCE
About 2 miles from Stonehenge is Durrington Walls, the place that archaeologists believe was the living settlement for the people who built and used Stonehenge. Amongst the evidence of what was eaten, there are a lot of bones, about 90% of them being pig bones. Based on scientific analysis of the pig teeth found there, they were probably fattened on something sweet, which would have probably been honey or berries, so I’m using both to prepare these pork ribs.
This is a simple preparation, but these ribs are so good. The honey is the dominant flavor and the blackberry does come through. The other 10% of bones found at Durrington Walls were mostly cattle, so you could use beef ribs instead if you’d like, you’ll just have to cook them longer.
Ingredients:
- 1 rack pork back ribs
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1/2 cup (170 g) honey
- 1/4 cup blackberries, or better yet, sloe berries if you can get them
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, optional
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the silverskin from the ribs by making a slice down the back of the ribs and peeling the membrane off. A paper towel is helpful for gripping the membrane.
- Rub some of the salt into both sides of the ribs. If you have some left over, save it to add to the honey glaze in the next step.
- To make the glaze, mix any remaining salt and the liquid smoke, if using, into the honey, then mash the berries and mix them into the honey as well.
- Place the ribs in a roasting pan with a rack, then take about half of the glaze and spread it onto both sides of the ribs.
- With the meaty side down, roast the ribs for 1 1/2 hours.
- Take the ribs out and coat them again on both sides with the rest of the glaze. Return them to the oven meaty side up for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the meat is nice and tender and falling off the bone, then serve them forth with Stonehenge Nettle and Hazelnut Soup for a complete Neolithic meal.