Norwegian pork ribs
Slow-roasted pork ribs with juniper, garlic and dill, cooked until meltingly tender and finished with golden, crunchy crackling using a careful multi-stage roasting method.
Updated : 09 January, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
3 kilograms
Pork belly
3 clove
Garlic
3 tablespoon
Sea salt
1 teaspoon
Juniper Berry
40 grams
Dill
2
Onion
250 milliliters
Water
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Take the pork (it should be bone in) out of the fridge about 1 hour before cooking, factoring this resting time into the total cooking schedule of roughly 3 hours in the oven. Unwrap the pork and lay it rind-side down on a large chopping board.
Step 2
Place the garlic cloves into a pestle and mortar, or into a bowl suitable for a stick blender. Add 2 tablespoons of the sea salt flakes (or 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt), the juniper berries, and the dill stalks. Crush, grind or blend until you have a fragrant green paste.
Step 3
Where the butcher has cut through the bones, there will be two long channels. If necessary, run a knife along them to open them up slightly, then press the green paste evenly into these grooves. Push in as many dill fronds as will fit. Turn the pork over so it is rind-side up, then rub the rind and sides with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sea salt flakes (or 1½ teaspoons of fine sea salt).
Step 4
Prepare a large roasting tin (approximately 34 x 37 x 5cm / 13½ x 14½ x 2in). Scatter the onion slices over the base to act as a trivet. Position the pork on top, rind-side up, ensuring one end is slightly higher than the other so liquid can drain away rather than pooling on the rind. Leave the pork in the tin for about 1 hour to come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Step 5
Pour 250ml of just-boiled water into the roasting tin, cover tightly with kitchen foil, and roast for 45 minutes. Remove the pork from the oven and take off the foil; the rind should now be softened and slightly puffed. Using a large sharp knife, deepen the existing score lines to define squares on the rind. If the rind wasn’t pre-scored, cut it now into 2cm (¾in) squares.
Step 6
Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C. Return the pork to the oven uncovered, keeping it propped on the onions with one end raised. Roast for 2½ hours, during which time the fat should slowly render into the meat and the rind will begin to crisp. Test for tenderness by inserting the tip of a knife - if it still feels firm, continue cooking for up to an additional 30 minutes.
Step 7
Increase the oven temperature again to 220°C and roast for a final 15 minutes, or slightly longer if needed, until the crackling is deep golden and crisp. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a carving board.
Step 8
Slice down both sides of each rib to where the butcher cut through the bones, then cut into generous rib portions. If the crackling is difficult to cut through, use poultry shears or kitchen scissors first, then slice through the meat so each portion retains its crackling.
Step 9
Due to the heavy salting required for flavour and juiciness, most of the onions will be too salty to serve. A few, however, will be perfectly seasoned and richly coated in pork fat - share these sparingly, or save them for sandwiches later.
Author note
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