Hoisin Barbecue Ribs Recipe

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated August 09, 2018
20120410-201246-hoisin-ribs.jpg
Josh Bousel

Ribs slow-smoked over cherry wood get a little Asian flair when finished with a hoisin barbecue sauce, creating a unique combination of sweet, salty, and smoky that's all around delicious.

To complement to flavor profile of the sauce, the rub brings together brown sugar, salt, 5-spice powder, Sichuan peppercorns, white pepper, and granulated garlic.

Recipe Details

Hoisin Barbecue Ribs Recipe

Active 60 mins
Total 0 mins
Serves 4 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • For the rub
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese 5-spice powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 2 racks St. Louis-cut pork ribs
  • 2-3 fist size chunks of light smoking wood, such as cherry or apple
  • 1 cup Hoisin barbecue sauce
  • Type of fire: Indirect
  • Grill heat: Low

Directions

  1. To make the rub, mix together brown sugar, salt, 5-spice powder, Szechuan peppercorns, white pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.

  2. Remove the membrane from the back of the rack, and trim the ribs of excess fat. Rub each rack liberally with the rub. Wrap ribs in foil or place in a large container and store in the refrigerator overnight (optional).

  3. Remove the ribs from the fridge while preparing the smoker or grill. Fire up smoker or grill to 225°F, adding chunks of smoking wood chunks when at temperature. When the wood is ignited and producing smoke, place the ribs in the smoker or grill, meat side up, and smoke until the ribs have a slight bend when lifted from one end, 5 to 6 hours.

  4. In the last 1/2 hour of cooking, baste the top of each rack with barbecue sauce and continue smoking to caramelize sauce. Remove from smoker, slice, and serve.

Special equipment

Smoker or Grill

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