Oh my, this recipe is a real winner, friends. I snatched the recipe from Smitten Kitchen’s website and full credit definitely belongs there. In an effort to avoid sounding redundant, I won’t tell you how much I adore and love this website. Instead, I will tell you how much I adored and loved this meal. It was so delicious – I am sure I will dream about it tonight! I served it with a super quick, tasty rice pilaf recipe I’ve been making for years because it is so versatile and I can manipulate the seasonings to the meal I am making (i.e. a little chili powder to serve with fajitas, curry to serve with chicken, etc.). I included that recipe below the ribs. The ribs were very low maintenance and scored big points with my husband AND my kids (surprise, surprise). I think this marinade would be delicious on salmon or chicken, too. I am already planning when I can make this again!
Trade Secrets: The recipe calls for spareribs but I’m not a huge fan of eating meat off the bone because it is too messy and is a nightmare with my kidlets – so I used boneless pork ribs. They were a little fatty but we just sliced it right off and got to the good stuff.
Hoisin and Honey Ribs
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INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 pounds pork of spareribs, halved crosswise, preferably by a butcher, and cut into individual ribs
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
In a kettle of boiling salted water simmer the ribs, covered, for 30 minutes and drain them well. (Watch closely, mine boiled over BIG time!)
In a large bowl whisk together the honey, the soy sauce, the garlic paste, the hoisin sauce, the mustard, the vinegar, and black pepper to taste, add the ribs, and toss the mixture well, coating the ribs thoroughly. Let the ribs marinate, chilled, for at least 1 hour or overnight. (I marinated mine overnight and the marinade seeped into every pore of the ribs – yum!)
Remove the ribs from the marinade, arrange them in one layer on the oiled rack of a foil-lined broiler pan, and broil them under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat, basting them with the marinade, for 3 minutes. Turn the ribs with tongs and broil them, basting them with the marinade, for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until they are browned well and glazed. Discard the marinade.
Trade Secrets: My preferred rice is Jasmine rice. But most often I just have regular long-grain white rice on hand. If I use Jasmine rice, I increase the chicken broth to 2 1/2 cups because it absorbs more water.
Quick Rice Pilaf
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup angel hair pasta, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth (I use 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules with 2 cups water)
Seasonings to taste (I add about a teaspoon of whatever seasoning I am in the mood for: chili powder, curry, garlic salt, etc.)
Brown onions, rice and angel hair pasta in the oil over medium-high heat. Cook until spaghetti is lightly browned. Add chicken stock and seasonings and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff and serve.
Recipe Source: from Smitten Kitchen
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
That looks so delicious! I’ve bookmarked this for future use.
I’m definately trying this one because I love pork ribs. I’m glad to see your rice pilaf because I’ve been waiting for you to post that one!
Yum!
This is the same rice pilaf recipe I use…but I cook the onion in butter instead of oil. I never thought of adding additional seasonings….genius!Can’t wait to try these ribs and the noodles above.
Melanie another great recipe. I made both the ribs and the rice and we loved them both. Thanks for sharing another great recipe!
This dinner looks great. I will have to try this. Yum! My oldest son is making your peanut butter cookies as we speak, for FHE tonight. Thanks!!
Jenn, I love, love jasmine rice, too. Sorry it didn’t turn out that great with the Chinese Five Spice. Bummer!
Hey Norah – I saw your blog and your post about these. Glad they turned out – you’ll have to let me know if you try them with a different cut of meat!
I made the rice for dinner the other night. I enjoyed it, but (this is totally my fault) I used Chinese Five spice for the flavoring–not going to do that again. It turned out too sweet and the flavor was just off. I’ll stick to the basics next time–garlic. I’ll have to halve the recipe next time too this made a lot of rice. Oh, and I love me some jasmine rice. Love the popcorn flavor/smell. Mmmm.Hope things are well.
We made the ribs with your baked brown rice recipe and they were delicious. My husband loves sauce, so next time I may reserve a bit of the marinade to dip in while we eat them. But very tasty. Used some pork ribs and some beef, and both worked well with the sauce. Thanks for another winner!
These ribs were awesome! I got boneless pork ribs for almost free and knew you would know what to do with them. I wondered how good they would turn out since we are baby back ribs snobs. This recipe is so easy and super tasty. My husband gave this 2 thumbs up.
We did the rice too. It was really yummy. I noticed that the recipe didn’t mention covering the rice as it simmers. I did and still had to add quite a bit more liquid to the rice.
I love most of your recipes. But boiling meat? These turned out terrible. People should stick to cooking ribs the traditional way. Follow this recipe but bake or grill them!!
Just replying to Lindsey: Actually boiling ribs IS traditional. I lived in an Asian country for a few years and fell in love with many of the pork recipes. When various friends showed me how to cook it, I was always shocked when I saw they all boil it. I don’t know the science behind it, but I do it all the time with some cuts of pork, especially ribs, and especially when company is coming over (in western countries) and it never fails to impress. Everyone I cook this style for begs for the recipe, and I mean everyone.
I haven’t made this particular recipe, so I can’t comment on it, but just wanted to mention that boiling ribs (and various other cuts of pork) is VERY traditional (just not necessarily in the US) and can be shockingly mouth watering. Has to be the right cut though, or it tastes no good.
Lindsey and Tara – thanks for weighing in on this Tara – you are right, boiling ribs is quite traditional and from what I understand it helps loosen and tenderize the tough sinews in the rib meat. Lindsey, sorry you didn’t love these!