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Home » 1,000 Foods To Eat Project

Delicious Melt In Your Mouth Chinese BBQ Spareribs!

Apr 4, 2021Last Modified: April 20, 2021

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This page may contain affiliate links. So, I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Here is a post about amazingly delicious Chinese BBQ Spareribs!

Chinese BBQ Spareribs garnished with green onions

1,000 Foods To Eat Project

I am working my way through the foods that are listed in the book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project.

In this book, the author Mimi Sheraton lists her choices for the 1,000 Foods of the World that you MUST try.

Ms. Sheraton includes delicious Chinese Barbecued Spareribs in her book. They are called Kao-Pai-Ku in the book, and this is food #47 in my 1,000 Foods To Eat Project!

1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die Front Jacket
1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die

What Are Chinese BBQ Ribs?

When most people think of BBQ Spareribs prepared in the Chinese style, they will think of sticky and sweet ribs tinged with a red color. I discovered that the red color comes from a reddish colored fermented bean curd called nanru. I would have loved to have nanru to work with (maybe next time!) but it's not easily found where I am. Some recipes call for using red food coloring to impart the red color, so I decided to incorporate this in an effort to get that red hue. One thing is for sure...you'll definitely get exceptionally tender, delicious, sweet and sticky ribs here!

They will also be a little bit chewy and have a bit of caramelization after broiling due to the honey in the basting glaze. Oh and did I mention that with generous amounts of fat they will just melt in your mouth?  😋 

So let's make some Chinese Barbecue Spareribs!!

Chinese Barbecue Spareribs, rice and green onions on a white plate

What Do You Need To Make Chinese BBQ Spareribs?

You won't believe how few ingredients you will need to make these incredibly delicious ribs!

Honey, Hoisin Sauce, and Chinese 5 Spice

The following is what you will need to have on hand to make these delicious ribs!

  • Pork spareribs
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Honey
  • Chinese 5 Spice
  • Rice vinegar
  • Garlic
  • Brown sugar
  • Soy Sauce
  • Red food coloring

That's it! 😃

The Method To Make Chinese Spareribs

There are 3 main steps you will need to follow to get the most succulent spareribs ever.

Step one is to marinate the ribs overnight in your refrigerator. I used a plastic bag that could be sealed tightly to store the ribs and marinade.

Pork spareribs in a plastic sealed bag with marinade

The second step is to bake the ribs low and slow for 4 hrs at 275F in your oven.

Chinese BBQ Spareribs on some foil

This is how they look after 4 hrs in the oven. They are super tender!

The third and final step is to baste with a glaze and broil. The glaze is made from hoisin sauce, honey, Chinese 5 Spice, and the resulting juices you get after baking the pork. Boil these combined ingredients until you get a reduced thick and glossy glaze as you see below.

Pork spareribs with a glaze on some foil
Generously baste those ribs with some of the amazing glaze you just made!

Your ribs will look something like the picture below after you broil.

Chinese BBQ Spareribs

Chinese BBQ Spareribs are one of the MUST TRY foods for any food lover! Try them at your favorite local Chinese restaurant. Or better yet! Make these in your own home and WOW your family with some of the most amazing Chinese style spareribs ever!!

Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!

The One and Only HOT and NUMBING Chengdu Chicken!

Chengdu Chicken

How To Make Delicious South African Bunny Chow

Bunny Chow and salad in the background

1,000 Foods To Eat Project

Please follow along with me on this quest to try the 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, from the book by Mimi Sheraton! Join me in this journey and discover new foods, experiences, and cuisines which I hope will add inspiration, fun, and joy to your life! Visit the 1,000 Foods to Eat Project page to view a list of the foods tried so far.

If you'd like to follow along and be a part of the 1,000 Foods Project, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Chinese BBQ Spareribs garnished with green onions

Chinese BBQ Spareribs

Grace
Easier than you think to make, these Chinese BBQ Spareribs are a MUST TRY for any food lover! Tender, melt in your mouth, sticky and sweet, it is a rib lover's delight!
4 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Overnight Marinating 20 hours hrs
Total Time 1 day d 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 3 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3.5-4 lbs Pork Spareribs
  • ¼ cup Hoisin sauce
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tbsp Chinese 5 Spice
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½-1 ts red food coloring optional but nice to use to give your ribs a reddish color

Extra Basting Ingredients for Basting Sauce

  • ¼ cup Hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 ts Chinese 5 Spice
  • Juices that result from baking the ribs

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and pat dry the pork spareribs. Remove the membrane if you like.
    Chinese Barbecue Spareribs
  • Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl (hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, 5 Spice, rice vinegar, garlic, red food coloring (if using) and brown sugar.
    Rack of pork spareribs and marinade ingredients in a white bowl
  • Place the pork spareribs, along with the marinade, in a large plastic sealable bag. Marinade overnight.
    Pork spareribs and marinade in a plastic sealed bag
  • The next day, pour off the marinade and preheat the oven to 275F. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil and bake low and slow for 4 hrs.
    ribs wrapped in foil and ribs on the side along with marinade in a small white bowl
  • Remove from the oven after 4 hrs. Pour off the juices (that result from baking the pork) into a small saucepan and add the Extra Basting Ingredients for Basting Sauce. Bring to the boil, and boil down until you get a reduced thick and glossy sauce. It took me approximately 10 minutes.
    glaze for basting chinese barbecue spareribs
  • Turn your oven to med-high to high broil. In the meantime, baste the pork ribs with the glossy marinade. Baste liberally!
    Pork spareribs with a glaze on some foil
  • Place under the broiler, and broil. Check every few minutes...I recommend every 3 minutes or so remove, baste with some more marinade and continue broiling!
    Chinese BBQ Spareribs
  • You'll finish broiling and basting (approximately 10 minutes or so!) when you get a lovely charred and sticky look something like this!
    Chinese BBQ Spareribs, rice and sauteed greens on a white plate
  • Cut into individual ribs, then garnish wish sesame seeds and sliced scallions!
    Chinese BBQ Spareribs garnished with green onions

Notes

Ms. Sheraton recommends to serve this with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and/or Chinese mustard!  I'm telling you...this is HEAVEN!  CHEERS!
Keyword barbecue ribs, chinese style ribs, pork ribs, ribs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Phil Thompson

    February 04, 2023 at 7:11 am

    4 stars
    2 Tbsp 5 spice? Most recipes call for 2 tsp is this a typo?

    Reply
    • Grace

      February 04, 2023 at 10:04 am

      Hi Phil thanks so very much for your question. I'm someone who really loves spices so I do use 2 tbsp of 5 spice in the marinade. If you feel it's a bit much by all means reduce to your liking. I really appreciate you taking a look at this recipe and hope you will give it a try and let me know how it turns out for you. Have an awesome day and thanks again! Grace

      Reply

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About Me

Hi I’m Grace! I'm married and a mom to my fur baby, Toby, and food and travel are two of my greatest passions! Since our bank account does not allow us to travel or eat out as much as we'd like, I decided I would cook delicious meals that could give us a taste of all the places we'd like to go. My goal is to get you in the kitchen, and inspire you to cook and taste delightful meals that will transport you too. Let’s throw some actual travel in from time to time, all with an emphasis on keeping your wallet full and happy as well. Let’s get cooking and let’s start exploring!! I'm excited to be on this journey with you!!

By the way most of these recipes are Toby taste tested and Toby approved!!

Chief Taste Tester Toby

Toby Chief Taste Tester

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