Apr 10, 2008

Chinese Barbecued Spareribs

This recipe is based on one that appears in the Joyce Chen Cook Book (J. B. Lippincott, 1962) by the author of the same name. For this dish, we like to use leaner, Chinese-style spareribs, also called St. Louis style, from which the breast bones and flaps of cartilaginous meat have been removed.

Credit: André Baranowski

1⁄3 cup hoisin sauce
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp. dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. sugar
3⁄4 tsp. red food coloring
1⁄4 tsp. Chinese five spice powder
1 2-lb. slab spareribs, preferably St. Louis style,
cut into individual ribs

1. Whisk together hoisin, soy, sherry, garlic, sugar, food coloring, and spice powder in a large bowl. Add ribs; toss to coat with marinade. Set aside, covered with plastic wrap, to let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350°. Arrange a baking rack on top of a rimmed, foil-lined sheet pan. Remove ribs from marinade (reserve marinade); arrange on the rack, meat (not bone) side up. Place pan on middle rack of oven; pour in enough water that it reaches halfway up the sides of the pan, making sure the water does not touch the ribs. Bake ribs for 35 minutes. Baste ribs with reserved marinade; flip and baste again. Bake for 35 minutes more. (Add more water to pan if it dries up.) Raise heat to 450°. Flip ribs again; baste with remaining marinade. Continue baking until ribs are glazed, browned, and tender, about 20 minutes more. Serve with Chinese mustard or duck sauce, if you like.

SERVES 4

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #111

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Ratings & Reviews (18)

by ddp1225 on 2008-05-25

the ribs were awesome, so juicy and flavorful--i served them to guest who also thought they were great!!!

by djginivisian on 2008-05-28

easy to follow directions. sauce can be made ahead of time. outstanding finished product. wonderful flavor and color. entirely reminiscent of the pupu platter standard.

i made a double batch of the sauce and used the remainder to marinate boneless pork loin chops overnight. outstanding on the grill or under the broiler.

by chibi on 2008-08-08

this is just about the same recipie that i used in my chinese restaurant. absolutely delicious!

by Boston Cooks on 2009-08-29

Simple and outstanding!

by andrewdoak on 2009-09-08

Our favorite rib recipe. Easy, simple and excellent. My mouth waters every time I think about these ribs. Superb.

by The Dark Phoenix on 2009-11-14

Whether or not to use food colouring is not as important as the proper ingredients and time for marinating. I've done this recipe five times and it ALWAYS comes out wonderful. The first time was done, spur of the moment, on a Saturday afternoon. As soon as the first bite was taken, our lives changed and there was a new standard.

by billwest on 2009-12-06

The sticky glaze was a pain for clean-up but SO worth it! Hoisin is may favorite ingredient.

by whipitgood on 2009-12-28

Just like Chinese takeout! I substituted beet juice for the red food coloring and that did not change the taste whatsoever. I also marinated overnight, took them out about 30 min. prior to cooking to get them up to room temp.
I doubled the recipe as I do not like to use the marinade for basting.
If you follow this recipe to a tee, you should be fine. Just keep basting when you turn them. This is a keeper! It's very easy! Can't wait to do them on the grill! Mine did not get as gooey and dark as in this picture. Mine looked more like the actual "pink" ribs you get in takeout.

by LTommy256 on 2010-02-10

Delicious. I'm so glad I learned to make these, $7.50 for six of them takeout is nuts. I used the Costco baby backs, which are meatier but yum anyway. Second time they burnt a little, despite doing everything the same, so keep an eye on them.

by LTommy256 on 2010-04-28

Our absolute favorite rib recipe. I use the Costco ribs too and one rack feeds the 3 of us for some reason. Moist and super easy. Add rice, broccoli and some Costco potstickers and you have some great and cheap Chinese dinner!

by delwin on 2010-05-07

I have done these a few times all without the food coloring. Great ribs.. Not as good as the Saveur soy sauce ones but very good.

by sygerhold on 2011-02-16

My friends and family love them. Have passed the recipe along to my grandchild who borrows one copy of "Saveur" at a time and does not get another until the one she has is returned.

by LAUGHLIVECOOK on 2011-06-28

Guess I will be the odd man out and say that these ribs were Eh! okay. I was expecting a whole lot more and ended up getting a whole lot less for all the work that goes into them. Not to mention the horrendous mess they made in my oven from splattering. I wanted a more authentic tasting sweet spare rib that I get from my local restaurant. Sadly these weren't it. They tasted good but didn't wow me or my husband.

by CAIROB on 2011-11-14

I have to agree with LAUGHLIVECOOK, I think we even ruined our baking pan, as the water burned off so fast the bottom was completely charred before I realized it. I would highly recommend placing foil underneath the ribs for a easier cleanup. I also found the five spice powder a bit overbearing on the ribs. The flavour overall reminded us of BBQ Pork, which we love with pork shoulder but not sure we were so keen on ribs.

by OXFORDVIC on 2012-03-05

My review is as follows: First of all why would you not use Tin foil under your pan???

Second, I have improved the recipe a little bit:
First call the local Chinese take out. Second order ribs ($13 for ten). Then go pick up food.

Enjoy...Best Recipe yet...This is true for all Chinese food..Local Take Out is the best Recipe!!

by rnelson on 2012-05-16

expected out of this world. These were 'good'.

by RODDYSFUN on 2013-01-24

Hello people use a throw away pan! i also use a product called mikes authentic rib sauce.. for color as well as taste since it has soy, hoisin etc,, great recipe

by RODDYSFUN on 2013-01-24

awesome!

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