Skip the bottle of basic ready-made barbecue sauce and infuse Asian flair into popular ribs with this recipe by cookbook author and meat expert Bruce Aidells, which he created for Real Food. One of his favorite preparations for ribs is cooked with a sweet and salty caramel glaze, often called sticky ribs.Yes, they are messy, he says, so supply lots of napkins or moist towels. But they’re worth the mess.
This recipe uses a marinade that not only flavors the ribs but also serves as a base for the caramel glaze. Plan ahead as overnight prep/marinating is recommended—but then you are steps ahead when it comes time to cook! Depending on the size of your grill, use a vertical rib rack.
Try serving these ribs with Japanese or Thai beer or a sweet Gewürztraminer wine. For a side dish, serve coleslaw (recipe below) and a noodle salad or steamed jasmine rice.
Vietnamese Marinated and Caramel Glazed Back Ribs
Makes 4 servings
2 slabs (3 to 4 pounds total) pork back ribs (also called baby back ribs)
Vietnamese Marinade
1 cup chopped cilantro
1⁄3 cup finely chopped green onion
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1⁄3 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
11⁄2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
Caramel glaze
2 tablespoons peanut oil
11⁄2 cups finely chopped onion
Garnish
1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro
1⁄4 cup chopped mint
1⁄4 cup chopped basil
1. For the marinade: In a medium bowl, stir together ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
2. Cut each slab of ribs in half. Place in a large, heavy zipper-lock plastic bag. Pour over marinade. Seal bag, shake, and turn until ribs are well-coated. Place bag in a bowl in case it leaks and refrigerate overnight, up to 30 hours. Turn and shake bag occasionally.
3. Remove ribs from marinade, shaking off any excess. Pour marinade into a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside.
4. Set up a grill for indirect cooking. For charcoal, place coals on half of a covered grill and heat until medium-high heat. For gas, preheat grill by turning all burners on high heat; when hot, turn off middle section.
5. Place ribs over unlit part of grill. Cover and maintain a temperature of 300°F to 350°F. Grill 1 to 11⁄2 hours, until meat begins to pull away from bone.
6. For the glaze: In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Pour in marinade. Bring to a boil and reduce until syrupy. Set aside.
7. Brush glaze over ribs, place directly over a medium-hot fire, and grill 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbly and just beginning to brown. Brush other side with glaze, flip, and grill 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbly and beginning to color. Remove from grill, cover loosely with foil, and let rest 10 minutes.
8. Slice in between ribs to separate. Place on a platter and brush generously with glaze. Garnish with cilantro, mint, and basil.
Coleslaw
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This coleslaw is a nice accompaniment with the ribs. For best results, prepare several hours or a day ahead.
4 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
2 thinly sliced green onions
1⁄2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup shredded carrots
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup mayonnaise
1⁄4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
1⁄4 cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon Tabasco
1. Place vegetables in a large bowl.
2. For the dressing: Whisk together ingredients in a bowl or blend in a food processor.
3. Toss vegetables with dressing and add salt and pepper to taste. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Nutrition info (per serving)
• Vietnamese ribs: Calories 732 (479 from fat); fat 53g (sat. 19g); Chol 198mg; Sodium 736mg; Carb 13g; Fiber 1g; Protein 49g
• Coleslaw: Calories 408 (331 from fat); Fat 37g (sat. 7g); Chol 23mg; Sodium 310mg; Carb 19g; Fiber 3g; Protein 2g
