Wood-Fired Spare Ribs

Spare ribs in a pizza oven give you something a barbecue can't - an even, all-around heat that renders the fat slowly while the smoke from the wood adds a gentle depth. These are marinated in Worcestershire sauce, coated in herbed breadcrumbs, and roasted at 180°C for about an hour until the meat is tender and the coating is crispy. Serve with your favourite barbecue sauce on the side.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg pork spare ribs (ask your butcher to separate them into individual ribs)
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 60g breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Barbecue sauce, for serving

Method

1. Place the ribs in a bowl, pour over the Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge for better flavour).
2. Mix the breadcrumbs with the chopped parsley. Press this mixture onto the marinated ribs, coating them evenly.
3. Let your pizza oven settle to around 180°C.
4. Arrange the ribs on a roasting rack or grill pan in your oven. Drizzle with olive oil.
5. Cook for about 50-60 minutes, turning once halfway through. If the coating is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
6. The ribs are done when the meat pulls easily from the bone. Divide into portions and serve with barbecue sauce on the side.