Best Spare Ribs Recipes

TAKEOUT-STYLE CHINESE SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Mix together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, five-spice powder, garlic, ginger and food coloring in a metal, non-reactive bowl. Pour the marinade into a large zip-top bag, reserving 1/2 cup on the side for basting later. Add the ribs to the bag and marinate, refrigerated, for at least 3 hours, though longer is better and overnight is ideal.
• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to 275 degrees F for direct and indirect grilling.
• Remove the ribs from the marinade (discard the marinade) and place onto a wire rack. Place the rack directly on the cooler side of the grill. Cook until the meat is very tender, basting with the reserved marinade 3 times during the cooking process, 2 to 3 hours.
• Drizzle the ribs with honey, move them to the direct heat side and quickly char each rib to caramelize.

TENDER PORK SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Mix the brown sugar, fajita seasoning, and paprika in a bowl. Rub both sides of the pork spareribs with the brown sugar mixture. Place the spareribs in a 9x13-inch baking pan; cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Whisk together the beer, garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a bowl. Set aside.
• Tear off 2 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil and lay them shiny-side down. Place a rack of spareribs on each sheet, meaty-side up. Tear off 2 more sheets of foil and place them on top of the ribs, shiny-side up. Begin tightly folding the edges of the foil together to create a sealed packet. Just before sealing completely, divide the beer mixture evenly into each packet. Complete the seal. Place the packets side-by-side on an 11x14-inch baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the ribs are very tender, 3 hours and 30 minutes to 4 hours. Carefully open each packet, and drain the drippings into a saucepan. You may only need the drippings from one packet. Set ribs aside. Simmer the drippings over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Brush the thickened sauce over the ribs.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Place the ribs back into the oven and broil until the sauce is lightly caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes.

SALT AND PEPPER SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Mix salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. Set spice rub aside.
• Stir Dijon mustard and vinegar together in a small bowl.
• Place ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Turn the ribs over so that the meat side is down. Use the tip of a small, sharp knife to make some very shallow slashes every few inches through the membrane that covers the ribs. Poke the knife 3 or 4 times between each rib bone, about 1/4 inch deep.
• Brush about 1/2 of the Dijon mustard mixture on top. Sprinkle with about 40% of the spice rub. Turn the rack over and brush on the rest of the mustard and vinegar mixture. Sprinkle on the rest of the rub, reserving 1 or 2 teaspoons in case you want to use it to season the cooked ribs later.
• Refrigerate the ribs, uncovered, 4 to 12 hours before baking.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Remove ribs from the refrigerator.
• Cook in the center of the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and baste with the pan drippings. Continue to cook until very tender and the tip of a knife slides in very easily, about 1 1/2 hours more.
• Remove from the oven, baste again, and let ribs rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

EASY BARBECUED SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine spices with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixture for the sauce. Rub both sides of ribs with remaining mixture.
• Place ribs, fatty side up, on a rimmed baking sheet, and cover tightly with foil; bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (There will be hot liquid in baking sheet when removed from oven.)
• Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small saucepan, combine tomato puree, honey, Worcestershire, garlic, reserved spice mixture, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat grill to medium. Cut ribs into 4 equal parts. Brush ribs generously with barbecue sauce; grill until charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Serve with remaining sauce.

SPARE RIBS WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Place ribs in a large pot, cover them with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the water and cool the ribs until you can touch them. Cut them into 1 or 2 rib portions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set them aside.
• In a large Dutch oven sauté the onion in shortening until glassy. Add the ribs, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Drain sauerkraut and add it to the ribs. Pour water and wine over the ribs. Add the apple, bay leaf and cloves, turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
• Peel, wash and grate the potato and place into the sauerkraut mixture. Add a little water if needed. Stir and simmer another 1/2 hour. Season with salt and pepper and a dash of sugar.

THAI-STYLE SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Lay the ribs flat in a roasting pan. (You will have 4 long pieces.) Season lightly with salt on both sides.
• Make the marinade: In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, tamarind paste, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne. Add the wine and 1/4 cup hot water and whisk well.
• Pour marinade over ribs to completely coat. Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, turning once or twice, or cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 250 degrees. Transfer the roasting pan, uncovered, to the rack. Roast ribs for 1 1/2 hours, basting with pan juices and turning ribs over every 20 minutes or so. If pan juices seem to be drying out or burning, add a little water to the pan. (Alternatively, cook ribs over indirect heat in a covered charcoal grill, turning ribs every 20 minutes or so.)
• Pour juices from the roasting pan into a small saucepan. Spoon off fat from surface of sauce, then simmer sauce for a few minutes until slightly thickened, then use the juices to paint the ribs.
• Turn up oven heat to 400 degrees. Return ribs to oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until nicely glazed. (Alternatively, return ribs to the grill to glaze.)
• Use a sharp knife to divide ribs, cutting between the bones. Pile ribs onto a platter, sprinkle with garlic chives and cilantro, and serve.

CHINESE FIVE SPICE SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, white wine vinegar, sesame oil, honey, five-spice powder, garlic, and ginger in a large storage bag. Shake to mix well. Add ribs to marinade; refrigerate 4 to 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.
• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Remove ribs from marinade and place in a roasting pan; cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Cook ribs for one hour, turning occasionally. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Remove foil from pan and bake an additional 20 minutes, turning once, until ribs are nicely browned.

BRAISED SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Season flour with salt and pepper and dust ribs with it. Knock off any remaining flour and heat up oil. Brown ribs in oil and set aside.
• Saute, over low heat, the onions and garlic until translucent. Add spices and stir. Add the puree, red wine vinegar, and beef stock and bring to a simmer. Place ribs in braising pan and cover with the seasoned beef stock and veal stock. Cover with foil. Place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until ribs are tender.

NEELY'S BBQ PORK SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Place pork rib slab flat on a clean chopping board. Pull off membrane. Cut off the excess fat and meat. Season both sides of the slab with Neely's BBQ Seasoning. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
• Preheat your grill at 275 degrees F, using hickory wood and charcoal.
• Place the slab on the grill away from the flame, using indirect heat. Cook the slab for approximately 2 1/2 hours with the curl side up. Flip the slab over to finish cooking for approximately 1 hour or until you get full "bend" in the slab.
• For dry ribs: Pull ribs off grill, sprinkle Neely's BBQ Seasoning over entire slab. Cut between the bones and serve.
• For wet ribs: Pull ribs off grill, pour Neely's BBQ Sauce over slab. Cut between the bones and serve.
• Mix all the ingredients and set aside.
• Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a stockpot or large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reduce temperature to low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours.

TERIYAKI-GLAZED PORK SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl with the five-spice powder. Rub some of the mixture all over the ribs, and then store remaining rub in an airtight container for another use. Arrange the ribs in a single layer in a roasting pan and slow-roast for 2 hours.
• To make Teriyaki Glaze: In a pot, combine the soy sauce, grapefruit juice, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice wine vinegar, chile, garlic, and ginger over medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of Teriyaki Glaze in a small bowl and set aside.
• In the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the ribs with the Teriyaki Glaze. When they are done, the meat will start to pull away from the bone. Just before you're ready to eat, baste the ribs with the Teriyaki Glaze again and stick them under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes to make the spareribs a nice crusty brown. Separate the ribs with a cleaver or sharp knife, cutting at every second rib so there are 2 bones per piece. Pile them on a platter, and pour on the reserved Glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.

FLORENCE'S FRIED SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Trim spare ribs by removing all silver skin. Cut off rib tips. Cut slab into individual ribs.
• Soak ribs in vinegar in a bowl, covered and refrigerated, turning ribs once, for 15 minutes. Pour off vinegar and add lemon juice. Soak 30 minutes, covered and refrigerated. Rinse ribs with cold water and pat off excess water. Ribs should still be moist. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper, then cover in Florence's Fried Chicken Seasoning.
• Heat shortening in a skillet over medium-high heat until melted.
• Place ribs in skillet fleshy-side down. Cook until crispy, approximately 10 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 5 minutes.
• Stir together the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder and cornstarch in a medium bowl.

SIZZLING SPARE RIBS WITH BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Tip the ribs into a big bowl (not a metal one) and throw in the spring onions, chilli and garlic. Now spoon all the remaining ingredients over the ribs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Get your hands in the bowl and turn the ribs over and over again until they're coated in the sauce. (You can keep the ribs uncooked - tightly covered - in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for several months.)
• Cook the ribs over a moderate barbecue for 20-30 minutes depending on their size, turning them over frequently and brushing with sauce each time. The turning and brushing is important, so that all four sides of each rib get encrusted with the sauce, which builds up like a lacquer. If you have any leftover sauce at the end, heat it up in a pan and pour it over the ribs just before serving.

GRILLED SPARE RIBS WITH BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season ribs with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stack slabs on a double layer of aluminum foil; wrap tightly. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cook until meat is fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, make barbecue sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire, cayenne, and desired variation (see below). Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thick, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat grill to medium-high; lightly oil grates. Carefully remove ribs from foil, pouring off any accumulated liquid. Brush ribs generously with sauce; grill until charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with extra sauce, if desired.

SIMPLE SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Place the ribs in a roasting pan. Mix together the chicken broth, teriyaki sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Pour over the ribs. Cover, and marinate for 1/2 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
• Roast in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is so tender that it comes off of the bone easily. Check occasionally to make sure the juices do not boil over into the oven, and remove some of the broth if necessary.

BARBEQUE PORK SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Barbeque Sauce: Heat butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. The butter should begin to bubble and foam as it heats. Once the foam subsides, add onions and saute over medium heat for five minutes, until just soft. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add tomato puree, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, white wine vinegar, chili powder and paprika and bring to a simmer.
• Cook uncovered until thickened, about one and a half hours. Remove from heat, let cool and separate one cup of sauce to be used to baste and three cups to be served as sauce on the side. Refrigerate until ready to use.This sauce will be used to baste the ribs during the final 10 minutes of cooking time on the barbecue.
• Dry Rub: Combine all ingredients and set aside. Placed in an airtight container, this rub will keep for about three months.
• Pork Ribs: pare the grill: Place a drip pan filled with water in the barbecue - the ribs will cook above it. If using a gas grill, place the pan to one side and only light half of the burners. If using charcoal, get the coals hot and spread them out from the middle, creating a well for the drip pan to sit in. Rub pork spareribs with dry rub mixture. Note: It is not necessary to apply the dry rub hours beforehand; applying just before cooking yields the same results.
• Check grill to see if it's reached the proper temperature, 200 degrees F. Place ribs on grill over drip pan, close barbecue lid and cook for about 1 1/2-2 hours at 200 degrees F. Turn ribs every 20-30 minutes, adding coals or adjusting gas to maintain a steady 200 degrees F. Some fluctuation is okay (and unavoidable if using charcoal), but the goal is to stay between 190 degrees F-220 degrees F.
• Begin basting ribs with sauce in the final 10 minutes of grill time (after about 1 1/2 hours). Any earlier and the sauce will simply dry out. Once the ribs are cooked, wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and place inside paper bags. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow them to steam and tenderize the meat further without overcooking. Remove and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

CHINESE BRAISED SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the spareribs, and cook uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat. Stir in the ginger, green onions, and cinnamon; cook and stir until fragrant. Stir in the spareribs and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the water, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until the spareribs are tender, about 1 hour.

CHERRY COLA GLAZED SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine All-Purpose Rub with 2 tablespoons teriyaki mix. Sprinkle seasoning over ribs and pat in.
• Place ribs in a shallow roasting pan. Tightly cover with foil. Bake in oven for 1 hour.
• While ribs are cooking, make glaze by combining glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 10 minutes and remove from heat.
• Remove ribs from oven and carefully drain fat from roasting pan. Generously brush with glaze and continue baking ribs, uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes more or until tender, turning and brushing occasionally with glaze. Remove from grill and cut into servings. Serve hot with glaze on the side.
• For Outdoor Grill:
• Set up grill for indirect cooking over medium heat. (No heat source under meat). Prepare ribs as directed. Place ribs in rib rack over drip pan on hot grill. Add a handful of hickory chips to hot coals or smoke box. Cover grill. Rotate ribs around rack every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, add 10 briquettes to each pile of coals and another handful of soaked hickory chips. Cook 2 to 2 1/2 hours. About 20 minutes before ribs are done, remove ribs from rib rack and lay meat side down on grill. Generously brush with glaze and pile ribs in center of grill over drip pan. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Turn ribs and brush on more glaze and re-pile. Cook an additional 10 minutes.

NOT YOUR EVERY DAY SMOKED PORK SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, kosher salt, cumin, cinnamon, jalapeno seasoning, and cayenne pepper. Rub generously onto the pork spareribs. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect heat, or preheat a smoker to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Soak wood chips (apple or cherry are our favorites).
• While the grill heats up, prepare the mop sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the apple cider, apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, lemon juice, jalapeno, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper.
• When the coals are gray and ashed over, place 2 handfuls of soaked woodchips directly on them. Place the ribs on the grill grate bone-side down. Cover, and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Add more coals as needed. Baste with the mop sauce, and throw handfuls of soaked woodchips onto the coals every hour. Keep the temperature of the grill or smoker from going below 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Ribs are done when the rub has created a wonderful crispy blackened 'bark', and the meat has pulled away from the bone. Discard any leftover mop sauce.

CHINESE SWEET AND SOUR SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Combine pork ribs, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice wine, and salt in a large bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Heat oil in a wok or deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook ribs in the hot oil until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes.
• Bring remaining 1 teaspoon rice wine, sugar, and water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in ribs; reduce heat and simmer until flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Stir in black vinegar. Increase heat to high; cook and stir until sauce thickens and coats the ribs, 1 to 2 minutes.

MARY'S SWEET AND SOUR SPARE RIBS OR PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Cut meat up, and place in a large roasting pan. You can use as much meat as you want to cover the bottom of the roaster.
• Cook for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Drain off fat. Salt and pepper the meat.
• Combine water, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar and chili powder; pour over the meat and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
• When cooked thicken with 2 tbsp of cornstarch.(I mix the cornstarch with a little water and then pour it in the sweet and sour mixture, its a little easier).