Tuscan Grilled Pork Ribs

You probably know ribs as a low-and-slow affair featuring fall-off-the-bone meat that’s been steeped in smoke and coated with a flavorful rub or sauce. Tuscan grilled pork spareribs, known as rosticciana (“RO-stee-chee-AH-na”), are not those ribs.

Their preparation falls in line with the less-is-more ethos of Tuscan cuisine, where foods are seasoned sparingly to allow their natural flavors to shine. In this case, it’s all about the pork, so the seasonings are restricted to salt, pepper, and maybe a hint of garlic or rosemary. Then the ribs are grilled quickly—typically for only 15 to 30 minutes—over a hot fire until the meat is browned and crisp but still succulent and clinging to the bone with satisfying chew. Eating them with your hands is a truly primal experience.

That said, I couldn’t wrap my head around the concept of ribs that