September 8th, 2012
Recipe by Paula Bowman
In the slow cooker combine the onion, 1/2-cup hoisin, and the next 5 ingredients and mix well. Add ribs and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover slow cooker and cook until tender, about 5 hours on low.
Preheat broiler to high or a grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4-cup hoisin sauce and honey and mix well.
Transfer ribs to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Brush with hoisin mixture and broil ribs until golden brown and sauce is caramelized, about 3 to 5 minutes. If using a grill, cook, turning once, until caramelized, about 5 minutes.
*Chinese 5-Spice Powder: Long a staple in Chinese cooking, this spice blend includes peppercorns, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and fennel. This blend encompasses all five flavours-sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. Look for it in the spice aisle of larger grocery stores.
Make your own spice mix: Combine 1 tsp Szechwan pepper or ground black pepper, 1 tsp ground star anise, 1 tsp ground fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp ground cloves and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Store unused spice mix in an airtight container, in a cool dry place.
Nutrients per serving: 1,014 calories, 66 g fat, 78 g protein, 2 g fibre, 27 g carbohydrates, 893 mg sodium. Excellent source of vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, iron and zinc.