Char Siu Baby Pork Ribs

叉烧小排骨

I cook char siu (叉烧), a type of cantonese roast meat very often. Saw a nice slab of pork ribs in the supermarket and decided to try cooking it with my homemade char siu sauce. The result is very tender pork ribs that are finger licking good!

Ingredients

1 slab of baby pork ribs (approximately 500g)

Homemade char siu sauce:

1 tsp maltose + 1 tbsp hot water (stir until maltose has dissolved)

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1/2 tbsp honey

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp chinese cookjng wine

1/4 tsp five spice powder

2 cloves of garlic (grated)

1/2 tsp paprika

1 spoonful of love

Method

1. Wash the pork ribs and tear the membrane on the back of the ribs. Dab dry the ribs with kitchen towel. On the back of ribs, cut shallow slits between the bones. This helps the marinade to penetrate the meat.

2. Mix the char siu sauce and marinate the ribs with the sauce for at least 4 hours or overnight (in fridge). 

3. Remove from fridge half hour before roasting to bring it to room temperature. Wrap the ribs - first with a baking parchment paper, then with aluminum foil. Reserve the marinade for coating of the ribs in step 5 below.

4. Lined an oven tray with aluminum foil for easy cleaning later. Place the ribs, with the meat side facing down, on an oven tray and roast at 120 deg cel for 1 hour. 

5. After one hour of roasting, open the wraps and flip the ribs with the meaty side facing upwards. Do not pour away the juices from 1st roasting. 

6. Turn the oven up to 200 deg cel. Brush the ribs evenly with the marinade and grill at 200 deg cel for 7 minutes. Repeat the brushing and grilling for 1 or two times until you get the nicely charred appearance. 

7. Rest the ribs for 10 minutes before serving.