Saucy Chinese Five Spice Ribs
Chinese five spice ribs are sweet and spicy pork, grilled low and slow to tender perfection. Slather them with Asian bbq sauce and dig in!
When you’re craving a true comfort food meal, not much hits the spot as well as devouring a rack of sticky, saucy ribs.
It truly doesn’t matter if they’re short ribs, spare ribs, or baby backs. A plate full of tender, juicy Chinese-spiced meat slathered in Asian bbq sauce is sure to bring a smile.
Chinese Five Spice Ribs
Cuisine: Asian
If you’re not familiar with Chinese five spice, you’re in for a real treat. The seasoning blend is a staple in both Chinese and Taiwanese cooking. It adds plenty of heat and flavor, and pairs well with just about any meat, but especially shrimp, beef, and pork.
I use 5 spice in my recipe for pork shumai, and it’s just as fabulous on baby back or spare ribs!
Course:
Main dish
Preparation:
grill, smoker, or oven
Difficulty: Easy 🥄
Description:
Pork ribs seasoned with Chinese five spice, cooked until tender, then mopped with a spicy-sweet, tangy Asian bbq sauce
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pork or beef ribs– I use pork baby back ribs for this recipe, but you could use spare ribs or short ribs. Just keep in mind that spare ribs are meatier than baby backs, so you’ll likely need to increase the cooking time a bit.
Cooking options for Chinese 5 spice ribs
My favorite way to prepare baby back ribs is on a grill or smoker. Fortunately, I live in an area where I am able to grill outdoors almost all year long.
However, I realize that some of you may not have that luxury.
The grilling and smoking instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this posts.
For the rest of you, this is how to make baked Chinese 5 spice ribs indoors..
How to cook baby back ribs in oven
- Mix up the Asian bbq sauce, then rub the ribs generously with Chinese 5 spice.
- Depending on the size of your baking dish, you may need to slice each rack in half. Lay the ribs in the pan, pour the Asian bbq sauce over them, then tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Bake, covered, at 275°F. for about 4 hours.
- Carefully transfer the meat and sauce onto a rimmed baking sheet, brush the ribs with some of the sauce, then place the pan under a broiler for 5 minutes.
No time to prep?
If you’re in a big hurry to get out the door, make this slow cooker recipe for sweet and sour ribs. Just set ’em and forget ’em!
Serving suggestions
One of the many reasons that ribs are so wonderful is, they’re perfect for both casual meals and fancier dinners.
For a casual meal, the Chinese 5 spice ribs are delicious with fresh vegetable sides like Pai Huang Gua (Chinese cucumber salad), kimchi and/or spicy pickled carrots.
Of course, a side of steamed rice pairs well with everything.
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Saucy Chinese Five Spice Ribs
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs baby back pork ribs (See Note 1)
Dry Rub
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Chinese Five Spice
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
Mop Sauce
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh ground ginger
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the dry rub ingredients. Rub liberally on both sides of the rack of pork ribs.
- Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray large enough to lay the rack of ribs on. Place the dry rubbed rack of ribs on the foil and fold up loosely and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for maximum flavor penetration (completely covered).
- In a food processor or blender process the pineapple, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, sugar, salt and Chinese Five Spice until smooth. This will be mopped on the ribs as they cook.
Grilling Low and Slow:
- Preheat gas grill or smoker to 225°F. Add smoker chips per manufacturer’s instructions if using. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (See Note 3).
- Place the ribs, bone side down, in the center of the grate, cover the grill and cook the ribs for 30 minutes.
- Brush both sides with mop sauce. Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs for about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours brushing with mop sauce every 15 minutes.
- Brush with sauce, or not, and grill the ribs until the BBQ sauce is browned and bubbling, a couple minutes per side.
- Remove from the grill and let the ribs rest for a few minutes, then cut the ribs.
Grilling if short on time:
- Preheat gas grill or smoker to 325°F. Add smoker chips per manufacturer’s instructions if using.
- Place the ribs, bone side down, in the center of the grate, cover the grill and cook the ribs for 45 minutes.
- Brush both sides with mop sauce. Re-cover the grill and continue cooking the ribs 45 minutes to 1 hour longer until well browned and tender (feel free to mop every 15 minutes). At this point they should be tender enough to pull apart with your fingers after 1 1/2 hours total cook time.
- Brush with sauce, or not, and grill the ribs until the BBQ sauce is browned and bubbling, a couple minutes per side.
- Remove from the grill and let the ribs rest for a few minutes, then cut the ribs.
Notes
- This recipe works with spare ribs as well, but requires a longer cook time.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
