Braai Life

Recipes / Meat

Sticky pork spare ribs, twice cooked

Pork ribs braised in the oven until tender, then finished over medium-hot coals with a honey, soy and orange glaze.

Coals
Medium coals
Prep
15 min
On the fire
2 hr 35 min
Plan ahead
30 minutes to overnight in the glaze
Serves
4

Ingredients

  • 2 racks pork spare ribs or baby back ribs, about 2 kg (4.4 lb) in total
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Braising liquid

  • 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) rice vinegar or cider vinegar
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) sweet chilli sauce
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 cm (3/4 inch) piece fresh ginger, grated

Sticky glaze

  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) honey
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) orange juice
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons tomato sauce (ketchup)
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 cm (1 1/4 inch) piece fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Cut down between the bones on each rack, through the bone but not through the meat, so the rack stays in one piece but bends. Season with the salt and pepper.
  2. Whisk the braising liquid ingredients together. Lay the ribs in a deep roasting pan with space between them and pour the liquid over. They should be mostly covered.
  3. Bake uncovered at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 160°C (325°F) and cook for 2 hours more, turning and basting the ribs every 30 minutes.
  4. Lift the ribs out and let them cool. Cover and keep them in the fridge if you are finishing them the next day.
  5. Whisk the glaze ingredients together. Set aside a third in a clean bowl for brushing on the fire. Coat the ribs in the rest and leave them for 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
  6. Light a fire and let it burn down to medium-hot coals, about 4 seconds in the hand test. Rake the coals so one side of the grid is cooler.
  7. Lay the ribs bone side down over the coals. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes and brushing with the reserved glaze each time.
  8. If the glaze starts to blacken or the fat flares, move the ribs to the cooler side until it settles. Take them off when the glaze is dark and tacky and the fat is crisp.
  9. Rest for 5 minutes, then cut between the bones and serve with a damp cloth for fingers.

Done when: the meat pulls cleanly from the bone but the rack still holds together, the glaze has caramelised and the edges are charred. Pork is safe at 63°C (145°F), but ribs eat best at 88 to 93°C (190 to 200°F) after the braise.

Tips

  • Do not over-braise. The rack should be tender, not collapsing, or it will fall apart on the grid.
  • Honey glazes burn fast. Keep the ribs moving and never leave them over a flame.
  • Leave space between the racks in the pan so they braise rather than steam.
  • In a hurry, simmer the ribs in salted water for 8 to 10 minutes instead of the oven stage, drain, glaze and braai. They will be chewier.
  • Skip bottled steakhouse sauce. The homemade glaze lets you control the sugar, which is what burns.

Sticky ribs are a standard at shisa nyama spots and steakhouses across South Africa. The ribs are cooked twice: a long, gentle braise to soften them, then a short, hot finish on the braai to set the glaze. The braise can be done a day ahead, which is why they suit a crowd.

The traditional accessory is a jammerlappie, a damp cloth passed around the table for sticky fingers. See safe braai temperatures and salting and resting meat for the basics.