Asian Braised Baby Back Ribs Recipes

CHINESE-STYLE BARBECUED RIBS

Steps:

• In a food processor or blender, mince garlic and scallions. Add hoisin, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, rice wine or vodka, rice vinegar and five-spice powder. Process until well blended. Taste for sweetness; the mixture should be sweet like barbecue sauce, not candy. Adjust the taste with honey, soy sauce and vinegar.
• Set aside 1/3 cup marinade for basting. Transfer remaining marinade to a container or pan large enough to hold the ribs, or to large resealable plastic bags. Add ribs and turn until well coated. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days, turning occasionally in the marinade.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Set up a rimmed baking sheet (or two) with an oven-safe wire rack that fits inside, the kind you'd use for cooling cookies. Line the bottoms of the pans with foil or nonstick baking mats. Place the racks inside the pans and place the empty pans on the bottom rack of the oven. Pour in hot water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. (Do not skip the water: The steam helps cook the meat to the right tenderness.)
• When the oven is hot, remove the ribs from the marinade and place on the racks, meaty side up. Bake without basting, 1 hour for baby back ribs, 2 hours for St. Louis style ribs. Check the water level occasionally to make sure it hasn't cooked off.
• Remove ribs from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Pour off any water from the baking sheet and return the ribs to the racks. (Alternatively, you can finish the ribs on a medium-hot grill; see below.)
• Return ribs to the oven and roast (or grill), basting 2 or 3 times with reserved marinade, for 20 to 30 minutes (less time for baby backs, more for spareribs). Watch the ribs carefully to make sure that the edges don't burn, and don't baste them too close to the end; they should be dry and sticky, not wet on the surface.
• Use a big knife to cut between the bones, making sure that each rib has meat on both sides. Mound on a platter, sprinkle with scallions and cilantro, and serve immediately.

VIETNAMESE BRAISED PORK RIBS

Steps:

• Make the marinade: In a small bowl, put the shallots, lemongrass, soy sauce, fish sauce, chile paste, salt, sugar, five-spice powder, garlic and ginger. Mix well.
• Put the meat in a deep baking dish or roasting pan and add marinade. Using your hands, coat ribs well. Let marinate, refrigerated, for at least 2 hours and preferably overnight, well wrapped. Bring back to room temperature before proceeding.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Add 2 cups water to the pan, cover tightly with foil and place pan in oven. Cook for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 1 hour more. When done, the meat should be very tender, nearly but not quite falling off the bone. Remove cover and return to the oven for about 15 minutes until the ribs are nicely browned.
• Remove ribs from pan. Pour pan juices into a saucepan and skim fat. Reduce over high heat until somewhat thickened, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, divide ribs with a sharp knife and pile them onto a platter.
• Serve family style with steamed rice and pan juices. Garnish with scallions, cilantro and mint sprigs.

ASIAN BRAISED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Mix all the dry rub ingredients together. Place the slab ribs on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle each side with the dry rub and pat it into the meat. Seal the foil around the ribs and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour (I left them overnight). Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place the ribs bone side down in a deep roasting pan or baking dish large enough to accommodate the slab (9-by-13-inch works well). Measure the beer in a large glass measuring cup and stir in the molasses. Pour this mixture around, not over, the pork. Cover tightly with foil and braise, basting every 30 minutes or so, until the ribs are tender enough that you can easily slide a knife between the meat and bone, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven. Discard the braising liquid. Heat the broiler on high. Whisk together the glaze ingredients. Place the ribs on a broiling pan or baking sheet and paint them on all sides with the glaze using a pastry brush. Broil for about 2 minutes total, basting the glaze again after the first minute. Serve hot or warm.

ASIAN-STYLE BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Pat ribs dry. Combine the molasses, garlic salt, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce; spoon over meat. Place ribs on a rack in a small shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 50-60 minutes or until tender., In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, pineapple juice concentrate, vinegar, hoisin sauce, ketchup, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, ginger and garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally., Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, rub on grill rack to coat lightly. Brush ribs with some of the glaze; grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 8-12 minutes or until browned, turning frequently and brushing with additional glaze. Serve remaining glaze on the side. Garnish with onion.

KOREAN BBQ BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• BBQ sauce: In a saucepan, bring all ingredients to a simmer over low heat. Cook uncovered, 1-2 hours. (Note: Sauce can also be made while the ribs are baking during the first hour, Step 3.)
• Ribs: Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Place ribs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle rub all over the ribs, using more on the meaty side. Massage the rub into the meat (tip: wear non-latex gloves for easy cleanup). Cover with foil and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Remove ribs from refrigerator and wrap each rack tightly in foil. Place them in a roasting pan side by side and bake 1 hour. (Alternatively, you can smoke the ribs, uncovered, in a smoker at 220 degrees F for 1 hour.)
• Take the ribs from the oven and remove the foil. Return the ribs to roasting pan; pour any liquid in the foil over the ribs. Pour the BBQ sauce over the ribs. Loosely cover pan with foil and bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, basting halfway through.
• Assembly: Remove ribs from oven and place on a cutting board. Cut into two-rib portions and serve stacked on a platter, with extra sauce from the pan on the side.

JAPANESE-STYLE BRAISED PORK RIBS

Steps:

• Remove the silvery skin from the back of the ribs by sliding the pointed end of a meat thermometer under the skin and pulling up. Pat the ribs dry with paper towels and cut into individual ribs.
• Mix soy sauce, sake, and honey together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Sear the ribs in batches until browned and they have a nice crust, about 3 minutes per side. Remove ribs to a plate and set aside.
• Drain Dutch oven of any excess oil. Carefully pour soy sauce mixture into the pot and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula to release any stuck-on bits. Add ribs to the pot with the liquid and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil. Cover tightly and remove from heat.
• Bake in the preheated oven until ribs are tender and no longer pink, about 2 1/2 hours, flipping over halfway through cooking time.
• Meanwhile, bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and water has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Serve ribs and sauce with white rice and sprinkle with green onions.

KOREAN BRAISED SPARE RIBS WITH SOY AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, scallions, garlic, ginger, oil, sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper and mix well.
• Divide ribs and onions between 2 large rimmed baking sheets and season with salt and pepper. Divide the sauce between the 2 baking sheets and toss to coat the onions and ribs, rubbing the sauce into the ribs. Spread onions in an even layer on the bottom and top with ribs, meat side-up. Add 1/2 cup water to each baking sheet and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Roast for 1 hour, then transfer ribs to a cutting board or platter.
• Season potatoes and carrots with salt and pepper and divide between the 2 baking sheets. Toss with onions and pan juices until coated. Place the ribs back on top of vegetables, meat-side up, and baste with the pan juices. Cover tightly and roast until vegetables and ribs are tender, about 1 hour.
• Transfer ribs to a cutting board or platter. Transfer vegetables to a serving platter. Pour pan sauce into a bowl for serving, skimming off any excess oil. Return all of the ribs to one baking sheet.
• Heat broiler and set an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the heat. Baste ribs with some of the reserved pan sauce and broil, meat side-up, until golden and caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Divide ribs among plates. Drizzle with some of the sauce and garnish with more scallions. Serve with the roasted vegetables, and any combination of kimchi, pickles or rice.

BRAISED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Combine rub* ingredients in a plastic bag, shake to mix.
• Rub olive oil on ribs then generously cover both sides of ribs with rub, there's enough to do 2 racks.
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hrs or as long as 24 hours.
• For covered charcoal grill: Start coals 30-45 minutes prior to cooking, soak a couple hand fulls of hickory chips in water.
• Meanwhile, place each rack of ribs, curved side down on two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil, which have been wiped with a thin coat of vegetable oil use a piece of foil large enough to seal over the top.
• Form a pan with the foil.
• After coals turn white push them all to one side, drain wood chips, place soaked wood chips on hot coals, replace grill top.
• Soak some more chips.
• Place ribs and foil on cool side of grill, carefully pour water to the foil 'pans' to no more than 1/2" up the sides of the ribs.
• Replace lid on grill.
• Every 30 minutes add a few coals and some of the soaked chips and reverse the position of the ribs (rotate and reverse).
• Turn over about 1/2 way through the cooking process so they finish curved side up.
• Depending on your grill it could take as long as 4 hrs or as little as 1 hr to cook.
• To finish ribs, remove from heat, drain liquid from foil pan (reserve for sauce if desired) carefully cut racks into serving sized chunks (3-4 ribs), brush with sauce and return to hot side of grill for a few minutes to brown a bit.
• You can brown them under the broiler right in the foil pans if coals are not hot enough.
• This procedure can be replicated on a two (or more) zoned gas grill.
• Put the chips in another foil 'pan' and place them over the heat, when they start to smoke put the ribs over the cool side and cover.
• Replenish chips as necessary, rotate and reverse rib pans about every 30 minutes.
• *This is a sweet rub and may be a bit too sweet for some tastes, if so decrease sugar.

KOREAN-STYLE BRAISED (SLOW COOKER) BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Wash ribs and pat dry. Salt ribs liberally.
• Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add ribs. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Place browned ribs in a 3-quart slow cooker.
• Place soy sauce, light soy sauce, rice wine, onion, orange juice, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno into a blender. Cover and blend until combined. Pour sauce over the the ribs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on High until meat pulls away easily from the bone, 3 to 4 hours.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Place ribs on a baking sheet or roasting pan.
• Bake ribs under the preheated broiler until nicely charred but not burned, about 5 minutes. Garnish with scallions.

CHINESE BARBECUED BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Line a 17- by 12- by 1-inch baking pan with foil.
• Purée ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and oil in a blender, then transfer to a bowl and whisk in hoisin sauce and honey. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce and coat ribs with remainder.
• Arrange ribs, meaty sides down, in pan and bake, turning and basting once with some of reserved sauce halfway through baking, until cooked through, about 40 minutes.
• Turn on broiler. Brush ribs, meaty sides up, with remaining sauce. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until edges are lightly charred, 4 to 8 minutes.

ASIAN RIBS

Steps:

• Place ribs in a 6-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, ginger, garlic and pepper flakes; pour over ribs. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until meat is tender., Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil., Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with ribs. Garnish with onions and sesame seeds if desired.