Spare Ribs With Hoisin Sauce

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Updated on 01/3/22
Spare Ribs With Hoisin Sauce served with a side of broccoli and white rice

The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

Prep: 24 hrs 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 24 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

The next time your family clamors for Chinese takeout, serve up this Chinese spare ribs recipe. It's made with a hoisin sauce that mimics what you would get from your favorite takeout restaurant, but it's much friendlier on the budget. When serving ribs, you generally allot about half a rack—or about 2 pounds—per adult. For Chinese-style spare ribs, you can divide it up the same way for an entrée or reserve fewer ribs per person if you're serving them as an appetizer.

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Ingredients

  • 2 racks pork spareribs, about 8 to 10 pounds

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

  • 3 tablespoons ketchup

  • 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 2 clove garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1/4 cup water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Spare Ribs With Hoisin Sauce ingredients in bowls, with spare ribs on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  2. Cut the spareribs apart into individual ribs, and place them in a shallow glass baking dish.

    Spare Ribs in a glass baking dish

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice wine or sherry, brown sugar, and chopped garlic. Pour the mixture over the spareribs.

    Soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice wine or sherry, brown sugar, and chopped garlic in a glass bowl

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  4. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning occasionally to make sure the ribs are thoroughly coated.

    Spare ribs and marinade in a glass baking dish

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  5. Preheat the oven to 350 F/177 C. Fill a shallow roasting pan with 1/2-inch of water and place in the bottom of the oven. Place the pork on a rack above the water. Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring water to a boil and dissolve the honey. Brush the spareribs several times with the honey and water mixture during roasting.

    Spare ribs brushed with a honey mixture in a roasting pan

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

  6. Roast the pork for 30 minutes, or until the ribs just begin shrinking and the internal temperature reaches 160 F/71 C. Remove, let the ribs rest for 15 minutes, and serve.

    Spare Ribs With Hoisin Sauce on a large white plate

    The Spruce / Sabrina Russo

Tips

  • Spareribs can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. Thaw the frozen pork in the refrigerator or microwave. Use refrigerated pork within 4 days. Reheat ​the frozen or refrigerated pork before serving.
  • Cutting the slabs into individual ribs allows them to cook faster and more evenly. If you want to cook the whole slab, do the low-and-slow method: around 250 F for 2 1/2 to 33 hours.
  • If you want a deep red hue to the ribs, like you might get from the Chinese restaurant, add a few drops of red food coloring to the sauce.

Recipe Variations

  • Grilled Chinese spare ribs: After marinating overnight, take the ribs out of the fridge and bring them to room temperature. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to 275 F. Place the ribs on a wire rack, and place the rack on the cooler side of the grill. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, basting occasionally. Drizzle the ribs with the honey money and cook them on the grill over direct heat until they're quickly charred.
  • Smoky barbecue spare ribs: Replace the sauce ingredients (hoisin, soy sauce, ketchup, rice wine, sugar, and garlic) with 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 cups of your favorite spice rub, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1 1/3 tablespoons liquid smoke. Brush the ribs with barbecue sauce (about 2 cups' worth) throughout cooking.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
2466 Calories
181g Fat
85g Carbs
124g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 2466
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 181g 232%
Saturated Fat 54g 269%
Cholesterol 611mg 204%
Sodium 2962mg 129%
Total Carbohydrate 85g 31%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 69g
Protein 124g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 179mg 14%
Iron 10mg 54%
Potassium 2024mg 43%
*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.)