Gameday Recipe: Spare Ribs with Honey-Sriracha Barbecue Sauce

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Ingredients:

Brine

  • 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 4″ piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped or sliced
  • A small bunch of fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
  • 1 whole bulb of garlic, cloves roughly smashed and peeled
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 10 cups water

Ribs

  • 5lb of spare ribs (whole rack, including rib tips)

Sauce

  • 1 8oz can tomato sauce
  • 3/4 cup hoisin
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup sriracha
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Juice of 1 fresh lime
  • 1/3 cup chopped onions
  • 1 heaping tbsp fresh minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Kosher salt

Instructions:

Brine the ribs

  1. In a large stockpot, combine all the brine ingredients except the vinegar, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
  2. Add the vinegar and ribs to the pot, making sure the ribs are completely covered by the liquid (add a little more water if needed). Refrigerate overnight.

For the sauce

  1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, and add the onions, garlic, and a heavy pinch of kosher salt.
  2. Give the ingredients a quick stir, then cover the pot and allow the onions and garlic to saute lightly, sweating them until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook uncovered for about 30 minutes.

For the ribs

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Remove the ribs from the brine. Rinse off any excess brine and pat the ribs dry.
  3. Place the ribs in a large pan, and pour about 1 cup of sauce over the ribs, brushing it all over the top. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for approximately 3 hours, or until the ribs are tender and the meat is starting to shrink away from the ends of the bone. Remove from the oven and set the covered pan aside until it’s close to time serve.
  4. Set a clean, oiled gas grill to medium-high. Grill the ribs, basting them with the sauce and turning frequently every few minutes, until the ribs have acquired a nice crust and char.
  5. Remove the ribs from the grill to a cutting board and slice them into portions, about 2 ribs per portion. Serve the ribs with any remaining sauce.