Chef John's Hoisin Barbeque Pork Ribs

Hoisin sauce has an interesting story behind it. I probably should have said confusing rather than interesting. According to my extensive research (5 minutes on Wikipedia), 'hoisin' is a romanticisation of the Cantonese word for seafood. What? Why? It's traditionally served with pork, isn't it?

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr
• Total Time: 4 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 482 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot chile paste (such as sambal oelek)
• ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
• ½ cup hoisin sauce
• 6 ounces pineapple juice
• 1 rack pork spareribs, cut in half
• 2 tablespoons fine sea salt

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Whisk pineapple juice, 1/2 cup hoisin sauce, and hot chile paste together in a bowl; pour marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add spareribs, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.

Step 3

Remove spareribs from the marinade and shake off excess; discard remaining marinade. Pat ribs dry and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 4

Whisk sea salt, brown sugar, Chinese five-spice powder, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Season ribs with dry rub.

Step 5

Bake ribs in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

Step 6

Stir ketchup, rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce together in a bowl until baste is smooth.

Step 7

Brush ribs all over with baste. Continue cooking in the oven, turning and basting ribs all over every 15 to 20 minutes, until ribs are tender and falling off the bone, about 3 1/2 hours.