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Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs

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This Sticky Asian Pork Ribs recipe is baked in the oven to melt-in-your-mouth, sticky, sweet, crispy, spicy perfection.

Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs shown diagonally

I ADORE this flavor combination! Sweet and heat, especially with an Asian twist, is one of my favorites. Combine that with sticky and caramelized on these fall-off-the-bone, tender ribs and you have absolute perfection.

One thing I really like about this rib method, other then the fact that even my pickiest child will eat them, is that it is basically a set-it and forget-it type of recipe. No babysitting required.

  • Pat them down with a smokey, brown sugar rub .
  • Cover tightly with foil.
  • Bake low and slow.
  • Uncover, and brush them with the sticky, sweet sauce until it caramelizes under the broiler.

Truly a no-fail, easy recipe!

Jennifer cutting ribs on a cutting board

While my family usually eats them as a main course for dinner, they are great cut into individual portions and served as an appetizer. Looking for a unique dish to bring to your next get together or tailgating party? Look no further! Like this flavor combination on chicken? Definitely try my Grilled Sticky Asian Chicken Thighs. While these ribs are great served straight out of the oven or kept warm in a crockpot, they are fantastic at room temperature as well.

Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs on metal baking sheet

How to make baked Sticky Asian Pork Ribs

Begin by choosing a slab of meaty, pork baby back ribs. Here is an interesting article on the differences between baby back and spare ribs.

Should I remove the membrane from the back of the ribs?

There is some discussion that leaving the membrane on the ribs helps to retain the fat and moisture while cooking. It can also be said that the membrane is chewy and keeps the ribs from being truly fall-off-the-bone because of this connective tissue.

I prefer a middle of the road approach. I score the back of the ribs in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife. The ribs are no longer held together and the juiciness can be locked in. But if you have a preference for removing the white membrane, I certainly have no argument with that.

Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs shown raw with crosshatch on membrane

Rub both sides of the ribs with a brown sugar based rub. This is the same rub I use on a lot of pork recipes, like my Smokey Brown Sugar Crusted Pork Tenderloin. It’s sweet, smokey, and flavorful and creates the most delightful crust.

Place the ribs on a large baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 300 degrees for about 2.5 hours until the meat is fork tender and pulling away from the bone.

three Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs on baking sheet

Meanwhile, at some point while the ribs are cooking, combine the sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring them to a low boil and let simmer for 5 minutes. Let the sauce cool so it can thicken.

When the ribs are tender, remove the foil, and turn on the broiler to high. Brush the ribs with the sauce and broil for 1-2 minutes. Re-sauce one or two times until the sauce is sticky and caramelized.

Can I finish my ribs on the barbecue grill?

Yes! I love to do this. The extra smokey, grilled flavor from caramelizing the sauce on the barbecue grill only enhances these bad boys. To do this, preheat the barbecue grill to a high heat. Place the ribs slightly off the direct heat so that the bottoms of the ribs don’t burn. Sauce the ribs at least twice and cook until the sauce starts to caramelize.

Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs shown vertically

Remove from the oven and cut the ribs to the desired portion sizes. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Try my Sticky Chinese Pork Belly, Blood Orange Chicken, or Asian Shrimp Cakes for a few other recipe ideas that will give you that sweet, sticky and spicy Asian flavors you love.

If you’ve tried my Sticky Asian Ribs or any other recipe on this website, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it came out in the comments below. I’d LOVE to hear from you!

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three Sticky Asian Baked Pork Ribs
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5 from 17 votes

Sticky Asain Ribs

This Sticky Asian Pork Ribs recipe is baked in the oven to melt-in-your-mouth, sticky, sweet, crispy, spicy perfection.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Keyword Sticky Asain Ribs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 642kcal
Author Jennifer Grissom

Ingredients

  • 2.25 pounds baby back pork ribs

Brown Sugar Rib Rub

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt – course
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Sticky Asian Sauce

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, fresh grated
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • On the back of the rack of ribs, score the white membrane in a one inch diagonal pattern using a sharp knife or completely remove the white membrane.
  • Stir the brown sugar rib rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat the rub mixture over the front and back of the slab of ribs.
  • Place the ribs meat side up on a baking sheet that has been greased or lined with foil or parchment. Cover tightly with foil.
  • Bake the covered ribs for 2 – 2.5 hours. Test for tenderness and if the meat is easily pulling away from the bone. Cook for an additional half an hour if needed.
  • Place the Sticky Asian Sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the sauce cool to thicken.
  • When desired rib tenderness is reached, remove the foil.
  • Turn the oven to broil. Brush the ribs with the Sticky Asian Sauce. Broil for 2-3 minutes and then brush with sauce again. Broil an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce starts to caramelize.
  • Garnish with any left over sauce, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 642kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 2072mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 2mg

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Jennifer Grissom

      Hi Natalie. I have never tried it with beef short ribs, but I think the flavors would be great! Since beef short ribs tend to be thicker/bigger, they would probably require additional cook time. If you try them this way, let me know. I’d love to hear your feedback!

      Reply

    • Jennifer Grissom

      Hi Diane. You can definitely grill them. Either cook them in the oven like in the recipe card and finish them on the grill when it’s time to add the sticky sauce OR you can slow roast them on indirect heat, the bone side down for about 2-2.5 hours until the meat becomes extremely tender and starts to pull away from the bone. Start saucing them the last 15-20 minutes. Depending on your grill temp, the timing might vary.

      Reply

  6. Meredith Rae Burgess Earp

    Do you think it would work to oven cook these one night, then finish them the following night? Having mid-week guests and these sound like the perfect option for a fancy meal

    Reply

  7. Chelsey

    5 stars
    Delicious! I’ve made them twice now and both times I get raving reviews from the crowd, I didn’t have fresh ginger the first time. I used ground ginger Instead and it still turned out great;

    Reply

  12. Kim

    5 stars
    This looked great so I tried it. Very simple to follow. I had most of the ingredients. They came out so tender and delicious! Making them again tomorrow for the game! Thank w

    Reply

  14. Julie

    This recipe sounds awesome! But can you tell me if it will work with boneless pork ribs? I am having company for dinner this week and would love to try these.
    Thank you

    Reply

  18. Laura Ziegler

    5 stars
    I’m a vegetarian, and I made this recipe for my husband and son. The basting sauce was tasty! Don’t know what the ribs tasted like, obviously, but they came out extremely tender., with a nice caramelization on the outside. Recipe was a hit! Best to cook the ribs on a rack over a catching pan lined with parchment to save on clean up, because that rub melts a lot, plus the baste combined makes for a saucy, sticky cleanup.

    Reply

    • Cherye

      I made this recipe for my family. I am a vegetarian too. You can use tofu and it is awesome. I have also used this sauce and rub on TVP hamburger and ‘ meatloaf’.

      Reply

  19. Tamline

    5 stars
    I make these all of the time! My kids even love them, they always ask me to make them. Definitely one for the personal cook book.

    Reply

  23. Jennifer B

    Turned out amazing……we had them with fried rice
    We’ll be making them again, maybe in the smoker next time. Thank you for the recipe

    Reply

  24. Brittany C.

    5 stars
    Absolutely outstanding recipe!! I had a whole rack and divided it up and used this recipe for half and the other half a BBQ sauce one. I wish I could go back and do the whole rack in this. I didn’t have fresh ginger so I substituted powder and I didn’t have cumin so I used a Trader Joe’s spice blend that has cumin in it. We couldn’t stop eating them!!!! This was definitely added to my favorites to do again!!!!

    Reply

  25. Katelyn

    These are the best ribs ever! Just wondering if I can make the asian sauce ahead of time. We are traveling and I want to cook it during the weekend. Just wondering if I can make the sauce ahead and travel with it. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Jennifer Grissom

      I have not tried that, but I feel like it could work. The last step with caramelizing the glaze might be the tricky part, however. You could do the initial cook in the instapot an then finish them on the grill or in the oven. Let me know if you try this.

      Reply

  28. Tammy Kieselbach

    5 stars
    Beautiful recipe! Everyone enjoyed the meal. I had left over boiled yellow potatoes so I pan-fried them until golden and added some of the sauce to them at the end to caramelize. Absolutelyfantastic too!! This recipe is a keeper!.

    Reply

  30. penguins4all

    I live in Indonesia.. Our meat is a bit more rustic so had to cook the ribs for longer… But the taste was fantastic. Brilliant recipe.

    Reply

  31. Bill L

    5 stars
    This recipe gets high marks. Good alternative to in the barrel smoker especially on a week night. Very easy and tasty. Add an Asian salad and you are set.

    Reply

  32. Helene Kramer

    5 stars
    Amazing! Easy to make and delicious. I used regular pork back ribs, removed the membrane and cut them into individual ribs. 2 Hours was enough cooking time to have the meat still firm, but fall off the bone.

    Reply

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