Chinese Spareribs No. 5 with Teriyaki Glaze
New York City has a Chinese takeout restaurant on every corner and oddly enough they all seem to have the same menu. Maybe it all comes out of the same kitchen—who knows? What I do know is that Chinese spareribs are one of my favorite junk foods on the planet. This is my variation of the classic Chinese spareribs No. 5. Be warned, they are really addictive. When preparing ribs, slower and longer is always better.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8 to 10, makes 1 1/2 cups glaze
Ingredients
Teriyaki Glaze
Preparation
Step 1
Dust the ribs all over with the five spice powder; season generously with salt and pepper. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill with a cover. You want to cook the ribs slowly over indirect heat for an hour or so first and then crisp them up right before serving. If using a charcoal grill, start with about 15 briquettes, just enough to maintain a low heat. Mound the hot coals on one side of the grill and slow-roast the ribs on the opposite side, away from the heat. If you are using a gas grill, the top warming rack is perfect for this indirect slow-roasting method. Either way, make sure the grill is covered and the temperature is low; slower and longer is always better. Cook the ribs for 1 1/2 hours, turning every 30 minutes. At the end, the pork will pull away from the bone and you will see about 1/2 inch of the bone showing. While the ribs are working, step into the kitchen to make the teriyaki glaze.
Step 2
In a pot, combine the soy sauce, grapefruit juice, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, chile, garlic, and ginger over medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 20 minutes.
Step 3
Take the cover off the grill and stoke up the fire with more briquettes until medium-hot. Baste the ribs with the teriyaki sauce and grill uncovered for 15 minutes. A side note: Now is not the time to get a beer; these go from perfectly crisp to perfectly burnt in the blink of an eye. Turn them over, baste again, and grill the other side for 15 minutes. Separate the ribs with a cleaver or sharp knife, pile them on a platter, and pour on the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and green onion before serving.
Oven Variation
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Arrange the ribs in a single layer in a roasting pan and slow-roast for 2 1/2 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the ribs with the teriyaki sauce. When the ribs are done, the pork will pull away from the bone and you will see about 1/2 inch of bone showing. Just before you’re ready to eat, baste the ribs with the teriyaki sauce again and turn the oven up to 500°F. Cook for 10 minutes to make the spareribs a nice crusty brown.
