Deliciously sticky and moorish, these ribs are great for entertaining. Once you start, it’s hard to stop – make sure you provide plenty of nap- kins for your guests! The marinade for this recipe also goes great with chicken.
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Sticky Chinese Pork Spare Ribs
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 40 mins
Ribs, Slow Cooked
Asian, Chinese
Servings4 - 6
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Deliciously sticky and moorish, these ribs are great for entertaining. Once you start, it’s hard to stop - make sure you provide plenty of nap- kins for your guests!
Ingredients
- 2 kg / 4 lbs meaty pork ribs , cut into single rib pieces
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp shao xing wine
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 4 tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp sambal oelek
- 6 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- 2 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Sesame seeds , coriander, shallots and red chilli to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Mix marinade ingredients together in a bowl or freezer bag. Add the ribs and marinate for at least an hour, or overnight if possible. You can freeze the marinaded meat if you wish.
- Before cooking, let the ribs come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 160C/320F.
- Pour the ribs and all the marinade into a baking dish large enough so the ribs are in a single layer, but not so large that they are too spread out.
- Add water up to about 1/3 of the way up the ribs. 6 Cover tightly with foil and place in oven to cook for approximately 1.5 hours.
- Take out of the oven, remove the foil and touch the ribs – they should be quite tender, but not falling off the bone. The marinade in the baking dish should still be quite watery.
- Turn the ribs over, then return the baking dish to the oven without the foil. After 20 minutes, take the ribs out – they should be nicely browned and starting to char. Turn the ribs, then spoon the marinade over, then return to the oven for another 10 to 20 minutes.
- The ribs are done when they are falling off the bone, sticky and glossy and the marinade has reduced down to a thick sauce coating the ribs.
- Rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander, sesame seeds, julienned shallots and sliced fresh red chilli.
Full marks for the wonderful flavor of the marinade and why did I never think of cutting the ribs into individual pieces before cooking! Brilliant! It makes them much easier to sauce and serve. I had to boil the daylights out of the marinade to get to the sticky sauce stage for the finished ribs but I always have to do that and the result is well worth the time it takes. I plan to use this for all kinds of things.
Woo hoo!! I am happy you enjoyed them Anna!! N x
is it crucial to cut into single ribs first?
One of my favourite recipes and I now have friends who love it also. I told them where to find you.
We used your ‘line the tray with foil AND baking paper’ technique to save heaps of cleaning and scrubbing time at the end! Super-delicious recipe. I’ve always made Chinese 5 spice ribs by instinct (“a bit of this, some of that…”) but your measurements make it fail-proof – thank you so much Nagi!
Anything to reduce the giant pile of washing up that I always have!!! N x
Hi Nagi! I ordered the ribs but they sent pork belly by mistake. I’ve marinated them anyway coz I had already prepared the sauce. Can I still put them into the oven or u think i shud cook them on the stove?
Hi Nagi,
I’ve been thinking to cook pork spare ribs but I really didn’t know how to cook. I’ve found your recipe. I gave it a go today. It turned up so great. My son who is very picky with the food said this dish is mum’s top 5 favorite meals. We had with rice and fresh salad on side. We really enjoyed it. It will definitely becomes our regular meal. Thanks so much for sharing a great recipe. I will try your other recipes as well.
You’re so welcome AB Family, thanks so much for taking the time to comment! N x
Looks delicious. You mentioned trying with chicken. How would I cook chicken wings in this marinade – separately or following the instructions for ribs?
Hi Linda, you can use this method here for cooking wings in the same sauce https://www.recipetineats.com/sticky-chinese-chicken-wings/ 🙂 N x
Based on others’ review I didn’t add water. Just baked with marinade & the ribs were sumptuously glazed 😋
Sticky Chinese Ribs were disappointing. Neighbours tried them with the same result. 2 cups of extra fluid after first bake, that I removed to glaze and finish them. One of very few disappointments but keep up the great work. The marinate was great
Wow Nagi these ribs are to die for. They were so yum I surrendered a couple to our neighbour who owns a chinese restaurant.
Hi Nagi!
I discovered your website about 2 weeks ago and its honestly the best – everything I have made has been amazing all thanks to your instructions! Irish Beef Guinness Stew has definitely been a fave! Or maybe it was the Chicken parmesan or crispy salmon skin or next leave chicken pasta – I can’t decide lol every one has been amazing thank you so much your website it is great!
It’d be great if you could do a video for this recipe also please 🙂 x
hi nagi – i’ve tried so many of your recipes and they’re always a hit! wondering for this particular recipe, are we supposed to start meat side up, or down? thanks!
Hi Susie, the ribs in this recipe are cut into single pieces so I generally lay them in a tray on their side. This is one of my older recipes, I’ll have to make a video for it! N x
So good!
Hi. I would like to try this recipe but am wondering if it matters which type of pork ribs — riblets, baby back, side ribs? Thanks
This is literally the best thing I have ever tasted!
Can you cook this dish in a pressure cooker? Also, are there any substitutes for Chinese five spice?
Hi Ashley, you can cook in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes but you then need to pop them in a baking dish and into the oven for the sauce to reduce and become like a glaze. You can make your own five spice powder too – try this recipe here: https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-make-five-spice-powder-4065302 N x
Thank you so much! I reduced the sauce on the stove top and used the substitutions, my family DEVOURED them!
Hi Nagi, not sure if it’s been asked, but do you think you’d be able to do these in a slow cooker?
These are the best spare ribs ever! I love recipetin eats!
We absolutely loved this dish. I am making it for the second time tonight. Thanks Nagi