Recipes

Simmered Pork Hocks or Spareribs

Recipe No. 267 from the U.S. Army's WWII cookbook — Meat. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Army TM10-412 · Meat · Pork

Serves 100 servings

Recipe No. 267 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Meat. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

  • Pork hocks or spareribs — 75 pounds
  • Water, boiling — as needed
  • Salt — 8 ounces (¼ No. 56 dipper)
  • Pepper — 1 ounce (4 mess kit spoons)
  • Onions, peeled, whole (optional) — 1½ pounds
  • Bay leaves (optional) — 15 leaves
  • Garlic (optional) — 1 to 2 cloves

Directions

  1. Cut spareribs into four-rib pieces weighing about 8 to 10 ounces each.
  2. Cook ribs until brown in their own fat; barely cover with boiling water.
  3. Add salt, pepper, onions, bay leaves, and garlic.
  4. Cover tightly and heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 3 to 4 hours or until meat is tender. Remove from water and keep warm until ready to serve.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Pork hocks or spareribs — 6 lb Water, boiling — to taste Salt — ⅔ oz Pepper — about ½ tsp Onions, peeled, whole (optional) — 2 oz Bay leaves (optional) — 1¼ leaves Garlic (optional) — scale to taste (1 to 2 cloves)

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 267, Meat. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.