Pork ribs

For fall-apart ribs, cover them tightly and cook in an oven at 150 °C for about 2½–3 hours, until a skewer slides easily between the bones. Brush on barbecue sauce and uncover for the final 10–15 minutes to make it sticky.

Yes, if the thin, shiny membrane is still on the bone side: it can stay chewy and stop seasoning reaching the meat. Slide a blunt knife under it at one end, grip it with kitchen paper and pull it off.

Cook them over indirect heat with the lid down at about 150–160 °C for 2–3 hours, turning occasionally; add barbecue sauce only for the last 15–20 minutes so its sugar does not burn. They are tender when the meat has pulled back from the bone and a skewer enters easily.

Coleslaw, corn on the cob and baked potatoes are classic partners, while pickles or a sharp vinegar-based slaw cut through the rich meat. For a more substantial meal, serve the ribs with cornbread or beans.

Yes. Stand the ribs around the edge of the cooker, add a small splash of stock or water, then cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours. Finish them under a hot grill for a few minutes with sauce to give the surface colour.

Refrigerate them in a covered container within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout; add a splash of water or stock and cover them to keep the meat from drying out.

Yes. Pork ribs contain 20 g of fat per 100 g, compared with 6.6 g in a pork rib chop; the chop is also leaner because it has less fat alongside the bone.

A 100 g portion of pork ribs provides 18 g of protein. Since ribs contain bones, the edible meat in a serving is less than the piece's total weight.