
Kvas-Braised Pork Ribga
1d 2h 40m
Kvas-Braised Pork Rib, also known as Vereshchaka, is an ancient and forgotten recipe from Ukrainian cuisine. It is pork rib in kvas with spices and garlic, making a delicious meal for any occasion!
Here, we serve it with delicious pickled apples and fresh cranberries! It is a full meal, but it can also be served with pasta, rice, salad, or vegetables.
If you don’t feel like making the kvas, any dark beer can be used instead.
Cut 400 g of dark rye bread into medium-size cubes
Add the diced bread to a skillet over medium heat and toast it for 4m until fragrant and toasty
Add 2 tsp of dry yeast, 70 g of granulated sugar and 2.5 L of lukewarm water to a bowl and mix it
Transfer the toasted bread to a tall glass jar
Pour the sugar and yeast mixture over the bread. Add 500 ml of water to fill up ⅔ of the jar
Cover the jar with a gauze cloth and use a rubber band to hold it. Leave the jar at room temperature for 1-4 days until lightly carbonated
Strain the carbonated liquid into a bowl and discard the bread
Transfer the liquid to a jug. The kvas is ready
Preheat the oven to 160 °C
Add 650 g of pork ribs to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Season both sides with salt and black pepper to taste
Pan-roast the ribs until well-browned on both sides
Smash 4 peeled garlic cloves
Transfer the garlic cloves and the ribs to a baking tray, and season with ½ tbsp of dried oregano
Add 500 ml of the Kvas and 200 ml of water
Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil and cook the ribs for 1.5h until tender
Cut 1 apple into thin, round slices
Roughly chop 1 small bunch of dill
Add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to a pot over medium heat
Add 200 ml of water and the chopped dill. Mix it
Add 1 tbsp of granulated sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the sliced apple and mix to submerge it in the liquid. Boil for 1m and remove from the stove to cool
Roughly chop 1 garlic clove
Cut 3 slices of dark rye bread into medium pieces
Take the ribs out of the oven and carefully remove the aluminum foil
Transfer the liquid from the baking tray to a pot
Add the diced rye bread and garlic clove
Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Turn the heat to low, and simmer for 15m until the bread softens
Remove from the stove and blend with a hand blender until homogeneous and smooth
Plate each rib on a serving dish and pour the sauce to taste on top
Garnish with the apples slices and fresh cranberries to taste
The kvas-braised pork rib is ready! Enjoy!
Yield 2 people
Medium Pork Rib
650 gDark Rye Bread
3 slicesApple
1Fresh Cranberry
to tasteSmall Dill
1 bunchDried Oregano
½ tbspApple Cider Vinegar
2 tbspPeeled Garlic
5 clovesSugar
1 tbspBlack Pepper
to tasteSalt
to tasteWater
400 ml
Kvas
Dark Rye Bread
400 gDry Yeast
2 tspCaster Sugar
70 gLukewarm Water
2.5 LWater
500 ml
Equipment
Kitchen Scale
Glass Jar
Gauze Cloth
Rubber Band
Sieve