char siu ribs
Sticky char siu ribs are a great way to get more ribs into your life.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
The marinade and the ribs
- 3 lbs pork spare ribs - Asian cut or not, separated.
- 2 tbsp hoisin
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp red miso - also called aka miso
- 2 tbsp light soy
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice - available from your local Asian grocery
- 1/2 tsp monosodium glutamate - there's a lot of umami coming from the miso so this isn't super critical but it's tasty
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 tsp red food colouring - the powder. This is optional of course. Purely cosmetic.
The glaze
- 1 tbsp light soy
- 1 tbsp dark soy
- 1 tbsp hoisin
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
Marinate the ribs
- Combine all the ingredients listed in the marinade section above except the ribs. Stir to combine.
- Transfer the ribs to a large ziplock bag or Tupperware with tight fitting lid. Add the marinade. Coat the ribs with the marinade. In the bag that means sealing the bag and gently shaking/massaging. In a Tupperware that means using tongs or a large spoon to mix things up. Either way there's food colouring in the marinade so be careful. You do not want to touch anything raw with food colouring in it. That's an embarrassing lesson I've learned the hard way.
- Refrigerate overnight. Flip the bag in the morning. Or give the Tupperware a shake.
Make the glaze
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Honey is a pain to get mixed in so microwave everything until warm and stir. It works way better if you warm it up a bit.
- Set aside.
Cook the ribs
- There's a little setup for this one.
- Preheat your oven to 290F. Full disclosure. I use a convection oven. Always.
- Grab a big baking sheet pan and a rack. Cover the sheet pan with aluminium foil. Put the rack onto the foil.
- Place the ribs on the rack so there is space between the ribs. Leave a little corner open.
- Place the baking sheet pan in the preheated oven. Pour about a cup of water into the sheet pan through that little corner you left open. You don't want much more than a cup because it becomes awkward getting the sheet pan in and out of the oven. You'll understand when you do it.
- Roast the ribs for about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip each rib using tongs. Return the ribs to the oven and cook another 20 minutes or so.
- Check the internal temperature of the ribs. You are going for about 195F in a thick one. It's going to take a while yet but better to start checking too soon rather than too late.
- Your ribs should be done in about 2 hours. Could be more. Could be less. I don't know how meaty your ribs are. I don't know how accurate your oven is. It could be less than 2 hours. It could be as much as three hours. It's like BBQ. It's ready when it's ready. Super annoying. I know. But it's an unfortunate reality.
- When you hit 195F remove the ribs from the oven. Turn your oven up to 375. When your oven has hit the new temperature baste each rib using a basting brush. Don't go crazy. There isn't that much glaze.
- Return to the oven and roast for about 3-5 minutes. You are looking for things to colour up.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, flip each rib and baste with the remaining glaze.
- Return the glazed ribs to the oven and cook for another 3-5 minutes. If they don't look like the pictures hit them with just a little bit of broiler action. Be careful though. There's lots of sugar here. Sugar burns fast.
- Remove the ribs from the oven, let cool slightly and serve.