Chinese-Style Grilled Pork Ribs

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/12/22
Chinese style ribs recipe

The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Prep: 18 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 48 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
156 Calories
6g Fat
21g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 156
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 1504mg 65%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 80mg 6%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 245mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This Chinese-style pork rib recipe utilizes the deep flavors of hoisin and five-spice powder coupled with the saltiness of soy sauce and the light, sweet flavor of honey. 

Baby back ribs are perfect, since they are smaller, packed with meat, and provide a better presentation. If you use larger pork ribs, you will need to adjust the cooking time and might need more of the marinade, but the basic instructions and recipe would be the same.

Consider giving these delicious ribs a try the next time you have a cookout. It's a nice break from American-style barbecue, and you can pair the ribs with rice and Asian-inspired vegetable side dishes.

1:46

Click Play to See This Traditional Chinese-Style Grilled Ribs Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

For the Ribs:

  • 2 racks baby back ribs, trimmed and cut into individual ribs

  • 5 green onions, finely chopped, for garnish

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish

For the Marinade:

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce

  • 1/3 cup dry sherry

  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger

  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

  • 1 teaspoon chili paste

  • 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Ribs

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Prepare the ribs
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt 

  2. Trim the excess fat from the ribs and remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. Cut the rack into individual ribs.

    Trim excess fat
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Marinate the Ribs

  1. Gather the marinade ingredients.

    Spices
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  2. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, dry sherry, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, minced ginger, cider vinegar, sesame oil, chili paste, Chinese five-spice powder, and white pepper. Reserve about 1/4 cup of this marinade to use for basting. The rest will be used to marinate the ribs.

    Whisk
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  3. Place the ribs into a resealable plastic bag (you might need to use 2 or more bags for this). Pour the marinade over the ribs, making sure they are well coated. Seal the bags and place the bags into a refrigerator. Marinate the ribs for 1 to 4 hours.

    Marinade
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Grill the Ribs

  1. Heat the grill to medium. Remove the ribs from the bags and discard the marinade that has been in contact with the raw meat.

    Ribs
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

  2. Place the ribs on the heated grill grate and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Baste with reserved marinade two to three times throughout the cooking process. Make sure to stop basting at least 5 to 8 minutes before the ribs are finished cooking.

  3. Remove the ribs from the grill and place them onto a large platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion for a garnish.

    Chinese style ribs recipe
    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

Make It a Meal

Grilled side dishes to accompany Chinese-style pork ribs include Asian grilled corn on the cob with a garlic and soy glaze, or vegetable packets on the grill. You also can serve the ribs with Asian coleslaw, steamed rice, fried rice, or hot or cold noodles.