Chinese Take-Out Char Siu Ribs

Directions

  1. 1Cut the extra piece off the rack of baby back ribs and cut the remaining half into individual ribs.
  2. 2Pat dry the ribs and add them to a bag.
  3. 3Add 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the bag.
  4. 4Add 0.5 cup (8 tablespoons) of Lee Kum Kee char siu sauce to the bag.
  5. 5Add 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the bag.
  6. 6Add 2-3 drops of red food coloring to the bag.
  7. 7(Optional) Add 0.25 to 0.5 teaspoon of Chinese five spice to the bag if desired.
  8. 8Close the bag and massage it thoroughly to coat all the ribs.
  9. 9Marinate the ribs in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  10. 10Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top.
  11. 11Add about 1.5 cups of water to the sheet pan, ensuring it doesn't touch the ribs.
  12. 12Arrange the ribs in a single layer on the wire rack.
  13. 13Save the remaining marinade to boil later.
  14. 14Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  15. 15Place the sheet pan with ribs in the oven and cook for 25 minutes (or 30 minutes for St. Louis ribs).
  16. 16After 25 minutes, flip the ribs over.
  17. 17Return the ribs to the oven and cook for another 20 minutes (or 25-30 minutes for St. Louis spare ribs).
  18. 18While the ribs are cooking, add the reserved marinade to a pan.
  19. 19Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and about 2 tablespoons of honey to the marinade in the pan.
  20. 20Simmer the glaze mixture for about 3 to 5 minutes until it looks good.
  21. 21Remove the ribs from the oven.
  22. 22Brush the ribs with a generous amount of the prepared glaze.
  23. 23Place the ribs back in the oven on broil for about 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
  24. 24Flip the ribs over and brush with another generous amount of glaze, saving a little for the last step.
  25. 25Broil again for another 2 minutes.
  26. 26Remove from oven and top with a little more glaze for a shiny, glossy look.
  27. 27Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and cut green onions.

Ingredients

  • 1 rack baby back ribs
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 0.5 cup Lee Kum Kee char siu sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 drops red food coloring
  • 0.25 tsp Chinese five spice (optional)
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • roasted sesame seeds
  • green onions, cut up

Equipment

sheet panaluminum foilwire rackbagoven

Tips

  • Pat dry the ribs before marinating.
  • You can remove the membrane from the ribs if desired.
  • Cutting ribs individually increases surface area for more glaze.
  • Marinating overnight is best for flavor.
  • Adding water to the sheet pan creates steam for juicier ribs.
  • Watch closely when broiling as sugar burns fast.
  • Save some glaze for the final topping.