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Char Siu Baby Back Ribs

Photo: Christina Holmes

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED April 5, 2024

If you’ve never cooked ribs start to finish on the grill, try it first with baby back ribs. The racks take less time and space than spare ribs and they’re super tender and meaty. This iconic Chinese sauce is also easier than messing with smoke. It pairs wonderfully with chicken as well, or try it brushed over slices of eggplant or tofu.

 

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Char Siu Baby Back Ribs

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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x

Time 2 1/2 to 3 hours, largely unattended

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds baby back ribs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (preferably dark)
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder, or more to taste

Instructions

  1. Start the coals or heat a gas grill for medium to medium-low indirect cooking. Make sure the grates are clean. If using charcoal, put a drip pan under the indirect side of the grill; for gas, empty, clean, and replace the fat trap.
  2. Season the ribs with salt and pepper on both sides. Put the hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, wine, ginger, and five-spice powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
  3. Put the ribs, meaty side up, on the indirect side of the grill, long side facing the fire. Close the lid and maintain the temperature at 250° and 300°F, though 300°F the whole time is fine. Cook for 1 hour, then brush the sauce over both sides of the ribs. Every half hour from then on, turn, move, and rotate the racks for even cooking; when the glaze looks baked on, brush with more. Cook until you can easily cut between two ribs with a sharp knife, 2 to 2 1/2 hours total; start to check for doneness at 1 1/2 hours.
  4. Give the ribs a final brush of sauce, then put them directly over the fire, turning once, until the sauce is brown and crusty, 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on how hot the fire is at that point.
  5. Transfer to a cutting board, cut the ribs apart, put on a platter, and serve with plenty of napkins.
— Recipe from How to Grill Everything

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