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The first time I had deep-fried beef ribs, my family and I were gathered at my brother’s house for Christmas dinner. He had served a fabulous prime rib and, on a lark, decided to fry the bones we hadn’t already stripped bare during dinner. Oooh, that was a good late-night snack.

To recreate that experience without the expense of the prime grade prime rib roast, I started with beef ribs from my neighborhood grocery store. Beef ribs tend to be tough, but they’re inexpensive and always available. Armed with the knowledge that slow cooking makes everything tender, I separated, then seasoned my ribs and slow-roasted them before deep-frying them. I hope you enjoy the results as much as my family did.

6-7 Lbs. beef ribs, sliced into individual bones
2 T salt
2 t black pepper
1 t garlic powder
½ t dry mustard
1 T dry parsley flakes
½ t cayenne pepper

Combine all the dry ingredients. Rub the ribs with the seasonings, place in a roasting pan and cover the pan with foil to seal in the moisture. Roast on the center rack at 225°F for approximately 3 hours, until meat is tender. Allow ribs to cool.

Heat oil in deep fryer to 375°F. Fry the ribs until the vigorous bubbling stops. Do not crowd the ribs in the fryer. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Serve with your choice of dips – brown sauce (from the drippings and fond in the roasting pan), sweet chili, Dijon mustard, barbecue sauce, au jus, mango chutney.

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