This Sticky Asian Ribs recipe is baked low & slow in the oven and finished with a sweet & sticky glaze. The ribs are so tender that they basically melt in your mouth. Be sure to serve them with extra sauce!
This Asian sweet sticky ribs recipe is my new favorite way to prepare ribs. Don’t get me wrong I love a classic rib recipe with BBQ sauce, like my Oven Baked BBQ St. Louis Ribs or my Slow Cooker Dr. Pepper Ribs. But the bold Asian flavors pair so well with the pork, you’ll be hooked too.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sticky – These ribs are rubbed with brown sugar and finished with a brown sugar honey glaze. The sugars caramelize and get syrupy. Not only does this make the ribs sticky, but it also gives them an incredibly sweet & salty flavor. Some recipes use this as a braising liquid, but I prefer to glaze the ribs at the end.
- Sweet – Between the brown sugar and honey, these ribs have a sweet flavor that pairs well with the pork.
- Tender – Because the meat is cooked slowly at a low temperature and wrapped tightly, the collagen and connective tissues fully break down, resulting in super tender ribs. This is the best way to cook them.
- No marinating – There is no need to marinate the ribs. The spice rub and sticky glaze have plenty of flavor.
- Multiple cooking methods – You can make these Asian-style ribs in the slow cooker or in the oven. Regardless, I still recommend broiling them at the end.
- Great for summer – Ribs just scream summer. They are great for parties because the recipe can easily be doubled. Even the picky eaters will enjoy these.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Dry Rub
Glaze
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Chinese Five Spice & White Pepper: These are both spices used frequently in Asian cooking. You should be able to find them in your local grocery store on the spice aisle. Chinese five spice unusually contains star anise, fennel, szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves. It adds a very unique flavor to the ribs.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These add a mild to medium amount of heat to the ribs. You can add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon for a milder sauce or omit them. For spicy ribs, add 1/5-2 teaspoons.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Sticky Asian Ribs
Quick Overview
- Coat the ribs in the dry rub.
- Wrap & bake.
- Make the glaze.
- Brush & broil.
Step by Step Instructions
Broil the ribs so the sugar can caramelize. This adds a great flavor and texture.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the silver skin or membrane (located on the back of the ribs). The knife should help loosen it and then you should be able to pull it off with your fingers. Cut into 3-4 portions. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt, granulated garlic, onion, Chinese five spice, ginger, and white pepper in a small bowl. Coat all sides of the ribs in the rub in a large bowl.
Step 2: Wrap each portion tightly in aluminum foil and place on a large baking sheet. For baby back, bake for 2-2.5 hours. For st louis, bake 2.5-3 hours.
Step 3: Once the ribs have almost finished baking, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper.
Step 4: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously. Reduce for about 5-7 minutes or until thickened. The glaze will thicken as it cools. If it has not thickened enough after cooling, bring it back to a boil and reduce more.
Step 5: Unwrap the ribs so the tops are exposed. Brush the ribs liberally with the glaze.
Step 6: Broil on high, watching closely, for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly charred. Slice into individual ribs and serve with more sauce.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Garnish the ribs with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. You can also serve them with more of the Asian rib sauce for dipping.
I like to serve these Asian sticky ribs with Instant Pot Basmati Rice and Spicy Cucumber Salad. The rice is great for soaking up extra sauce and the cucumbers add a nice crunch and some freshness.
If you have leftovers, try one of these Recipes for Leftover Ribs.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Wrap the ribs. This helps the stem to build up and ensures the ribs come out super tender and juicy.
- Cook them low & slow. 275 degrees is the perfect temperature for cooking ribs. This part requires a little patience but it is definitely worth the wait.
- Reduce the glaze. Be sure to reduce the glaze so it thickens. The sugars will melt and make the sticky sauce.
- Broil. This is how the ribs get charred on the exterior. It adds that “grilled” flavor and caramelizes the sugar.
Additions & Variations
- Slow Cooker: After Step 1, add a splash of water to the slow cooker. Place the wrapped ribs in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. While the ribs are cooking, continue to Step 3.
- Leftovers: Leftover rib meat is great for tacos, sandwiches, or (my favorite) fried rice the next day.
Recipe FAQs
Cooked pork sometimes will still have a pink hue, especially if it is smoked. Red food coloring is also sometimes added to Chinese spare ribs or short ribs to give them a more intense color. This is not necessary and does not alter the flavor.
I like to serve them with steamed white rice and raw veggies. You can read more above.
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Sticky Asian Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds St. Louis or baby back ribs, about 1 large rack of ribs
Dry Rub
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons EACH smoked paprika & Morton kosher salt*
- 1 teaspoon EACH granulated garlic & onion
- 1/4 teaspoon EACH ground ginger, Chinese five spice, & white pepper*
Glaze
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 10-12 cloves garlic, minced finely
- 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the silver skin or membrane (located on the back of the ribs). The knife should help loosen it and then you should be able to pull it off with your fingers. Cut into 3-4 portions. Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel. Combine the brown sugar, paprika, salt, granulated garlic, onion, Chinese five spice, ginger, and white pepper in a small bowl. Coat all sides of the ribs in the rub in a large bowl.
- Wrap each portion tightly in aluminum foil and place on a large baking sheet. For baby back, bake for 2-2.5 hours. For st louis, bake 2.5-3 hours.
- Once the ribs have almost finished baking, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously. Reduce for about 5-7 minutes or until thickened. The glaze will thicken as it cools. If it has not thickened enough after cooling, bring it back to a boil and reduce more.
- Unwrap the ribs so the tops are exposed. Brush the ribs liberally with the glaze.
- Broil on high, watching closely, for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly charred. Slice into individual ribs and serve with more sauce.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Chinese Five Spice & White Pepper: These are both spices used frequently in Asian cooking. You should be able to find them in your local grocery store on the spice aisle. Chinese five spice unusually contains star anise, fennel, szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, and cloves. It adds a very unique flavor to the ribs.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These add a mild to medium amount of heat to the ribs. You can add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon for a milder sauce or omit them. For spicy ribs, add 1/5-2 teaspoons.
- Wrap the ribs. This helps the stem to build up and ensures the ribs come out super tender and juicy.
- Cook them low & slow. 275 degrees is the perfect temperature for cooking ribs. This part requires a little patience but it is definitely worth the wait.
- Reduce the glaze. Be sure to reduce the glaze so it thickens. The sugars will melt and make the sticky sauce.
- Broil. This is how the ribs get charred on the exterior. It adds that “grilled” flavor and caramelizes the sugar.
- Slow Cooker: After Step 1, add a splash of water to the slow cooker. Place the wrapped ribs in the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. While the ribs are cooking, continue to Step 3.
- Leftovers: Leftover rib meat is great for tacos, sandwiches, or (my favorite) fried rice the next day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cooked this for dinner, was delish and left us with lots of left overs
Was this recipe created by an AI chatbot?? What’s with the “Add blueberries” in the step by step instructions…..
would the cook time for pork short ribs be the same as baby back ribs?
I nearly made this but changed it a bit to match my own very old rib recipe.
Made in my 30yr old wok to Chinese easy style. Sweet Chilli Sticky just fall apart in your mouth
Bazils kitchen.
Brian
THE MOST DELICIOUS RECIPE!
This, hands down it’s my new favorite asian sauce. As always. I make the recipe as is. And it did not disappoint! Lovely bite without being overbearing. My mouth waters at the idea of using it with chicken and salmon. Thank you Bri!
I’m so excited to make these for a potluck!!
Do you think it’d be okay to cut the ribs individually & bake them or do they need to be in portioned racks?
Thanks!
Lisa
Omg! This a a great recipe. I used back ribs and put them uncovered on 275-300 degree grill (indirect) for about 1 1/2 hours then placed them in a foil pan, covered them for about another hour until the meat started to pull away from the bone. Then, took them from the pan and put them back on grill, basted them with the sauce, and raised the temperature to 400 for about 10-15 minuets.
Perfect!
Should the ribs be placed on the baking sheet meat side up or down?
Just made this, so easy and so tasteful.
It’s my first time to cook ribs coz I just started learning how to cook.
Thank you so much for the easy but very delicious recipe!!
Now I can make this for house parties!