Char Siu-Style Ribs

I found this recipe in a cookbook years ago and copied it out. I then proceeded to lose it among my pile of "must try" recipes. 

Until now, that is.

Chinese New Year just passed and this was one of the recipes Jo and I made to celebrate. 

Okay... I made most of the dinner but, to be fair, Jo did make an adorable dessert so things kind-of even out. 

Anyways....

Oh.

Em. 

Gee.

I cannot believe this recipe sat, untried in my cupboard for so long. These are so different from plain ol' boring BBQ ribs, so amazingly, fall off the bone tender, and were a HUGE hit at our Chinese New Year Dinner. (Click HERE to see our other dishes!)

You HAVE to try them. 

Have to. 

Pretty sure it's a law....

Char Siu-Style Ribs

Ingredients

2 racks of pork ribs

1 medium onion, quartered

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

7 cloves garlic

1/4 cup grenadine

2 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine

2 Tbsp soy sauce

sprinkle pepper

1/2 tsp five spice powder

Toppings

toasted sesame seeds (optional)

sliced green onion (optional)

Directions

Prepare sauce - In a blender (or food processor), process onion, hoisin, garlic, grenadine, honey, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, pepper, and five spice powder until no large bits remain.

*NOTE - this can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time and kept refrigerated until ready to use.*

Rub approx 1/2 cup of the sauce all over the ribs. Cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. 

Cook ribs - Preheat oven to 350.

Place ribs, bone side down, in a roasting pan. Cover with tinfoil. 

(I lines my pan with tinfoil to make clean up easier.) 

Roast in a 350 oven until meat is fork tender - about 1 and a half hours. Brush with pan drippings every 20 minutes or so while cooking.

*NOTE - If you want to prepare to this point ahead of time - Let the ribs cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat on medium-low grill, turning once, about 10 minutes*

Place ribs on a greased grill over medium heat. Grill the ribs, brushing all over with the sauce several times until caramelized, about 10 minutes or so. 

Serve sprinkled with either toasted sesame seeds or sliced green onion.

So good. The whole family went nuts for these. They were so tender they were falling off the bone as I tried to flip them on the grill. 

Totally making these again!

I included some notes in case you want to do some of the work ahead of time and not leave it all until dinner time. I made the sauce up one day and marinated the ribs overnight, roasted it the next morning, and then finished them on the BBQ when dinner time came around. I had so many other dishes to prepare I wanted to cut out as much work as I could. 

We'd love to know if you give these a try!

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