Watermelon Barbecue Sauce and Country Ribs
For the Watermelon Barbecue Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Vidalia onions, diced
- 4 cups chopped watermelon, from about 3 1/2 pound melon, seeds removed
- 1 tomato, about 12 ounces, diced
- 2 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 Tablespoons cane syrup or honey
- salt and pepper to taste
For the Ribs
- 4 pounds boneless country style pork ribs
- half an onion, sliced
- salt and pepper
For the Watermelon Barbecue Sauce
- Heat the oil in a large sauce pot and cook the onion until glassy and soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a further 2 minutes. Add the watermelon chunks and the tomato and cook until soft and beginning to release some liquid, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a few minutes, then transfer to a blender (you may need to do this in batches). Remove the vent from the top of the blender and hold the lid down with a tea towel. Puree until smooth, then pour the sauce back into the pan through a sieve, scraping as much liquid through as possible. Stir in the vinegar, cane syrup and Worcestershire sauce and cook until thickened and reduced almost in half, about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- The sauce can be cooled, covered and refrigerated at this point up to three days.
For the ribs
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking dish that fits the ribs comfortably with foil. Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper, then lay the sliced onions on top. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Carefully drain off any accumulated fat from the pan, then pour over all but one cup of the barbecue sauce. Turn the ribs to coat in the sauce with tongs and return the pan to the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then turn the ribs again and cover the pan tightly with foil and return to the oven. Roast for a further 30 minutes.
- Heat the remaining sauce in a small pan. Serve the ribs with the extra sauce to spoon over.
