Asian Barbecue Ribs
A weeknight-friendly pork built around pork baby back ribs, barbecue rub and hoisin sauce β roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler and whisk. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Peel the thin membrane from the back of each rack of ribs, then pat them dry and rub the barbecue rub evenly into both sides. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prepare the grill.
- Set up a smoker or grill for indirect cooking at about 120 to 135 C (250 to 275 F) and add the soaked hickory chunks to the coals for smoke.
- In a bowl whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin, honey, mirin, sake, garlic, and ginger to make the glaze, then set about half aside for serving.
- Place the ribs bone-side down away from the direct heat, close the lid, and smoke for about 3 hours, maintaining a steady temperature and replenishing wood as needed.
- During the final 45 minutes, brush the ribs with the glaze every 15 minutes so the sugars build into a sticky lacquer without burning.
- The ribs are done when the meat has pulled back from the bone ends and an internal temperature of about 90 to 95 C (195 to 203 F) gives tender, bend-and-crack texture.
- Rest the ribs loosely tented with foil for 10 minutes, then cut between the bones and serve with the reserved glaze.
You'll use: Grill / broiler Β· Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Soy Sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) Β· coconut aminos
- Honey
- maple syrup Β· agave
Tips & common questions
How long does Asian Barbecue Ribs take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of soy sauce?
Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Asian Barbecue Ribs is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Ribs with Asian Barbecue Sauce 3of3 (8735180329).jpg by Breville USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.