Name: Char Siu Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Yield: Serves 4 as a main course
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: ½ cup char siu marinade (recipe follows); 2 racks (1 lb.) pork baby back ribs, silver skin removed from underside; Salt and white pepper; 2 cubes red fermented tofu plus 1½ tsp. juice (about ½ oz. tofu and juice total; see footnote under “preparation”); 2 tbsp. Chinese five-spice powder; ½ tsp. garlic powder; ½ tsp. onion powder; ½ tsp. ginger powder; ½ cup soy sauce; ¼ cup sorghum syrup; 6 tbsp. hoisin sauce; 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil; 2 tbsp. bourbon; ½ cup char siu marinade; 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup char siu marinade; 2 tbsp. sorghum syrup; 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce; 3 green onions, green parts sliced on the bias, white parts left whole

Southern-style barbecued pork ribs were one of my favorite dishes growing up. To me they have as strong a Southern identity as collard greens or their pot likker, probably because I ate them so much. These particular ribs were developed in an effort to win brownie points with my mother in-law, Julie, who used to bring this dish to potluck picnics when my wife, Jackie, was growing up in Connecticut. If you want to get on the good side of your friends and family, I suggest you incorporate these ribs into your repertoire as well!

Here, I’ve adapted her honey garlic soy sauce ribs to this version over a couple dozen attempts to build a fitting tribute without copying her recipe directly. These ribs have a very Chinese flavor profile from the char siu marinade, but we also keep it sweet and Southern with the addition of sorghum syrup. Into smoked meats? Well, we wrote this recipe for a home oven, but if you want to really elevate these ribs with a smoky Southern spin, cook them low and slow and off to the side over a wood fire, which is my preferred method anytime I get the chance to do so. —Ron Hsu, Down South + East.

Read our Q&A with Hsu, and get his recipes for pimento cheese wontons and Georgia peach rice pudding.

Char Siu Glazed Baby Back Ribs

Yield: Serves 4 as a main course

Ingredients

- ½ cup char siu marinade (recipe follows)
- 2 racks (1 lb.) pork baby back ribs, silver skin removed from underside
- Salt and white pepper

For the marinade (yields about 2 cups)

- 2 cubes red fermented tofu plus 1½ tsp. juice (about ½ oz. tofu and juice total; see footnote under “preparation”)
- 2 tbsp. Chinese five-spice powder
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. ginger powder
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup sorghum syrup
- 6 tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp. bourbon

For the baste

- ½ cup char siu marinade
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

For the lacquer

- ¼ cup char siu marinade
- 2 tbsp. sorghum syrup
- 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
- 3 green onions, green parts sliced on the bias, white parts left whole

Preparation

Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, break up the tofu with a fork until very crumbly. Add the Chinese five-spice powder, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, soy sauce, sorghum syrup, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and bourbon and whisk until combined. Use as directed in the recipe, and refrigerate any leftover marinade, tightly sealed, for up to 3 months.
Prepare the ribs: Rub ½ cup char siu marinade on both sides of the ribs. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight to marinate. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator about 1 hour before you are ready to cook, and season with salt and white pepper.
Cook and baste the ribs: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, make the baste by combining ½ cup char siu marinade with the vinegar; mix well. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a roasting rack large enough to hold the 2 racks of ribs on the foil-lined baking sheet. Place the ribs on the rack bone-side up, and place in the preheated oven.
Cook the ribs, brushing the bone side with the baste every 15 minutes. After the ribs have cooked for 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove them from the oven and flip them so the meat side is up. Return to the oven for another 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting the meat side every 15 minutes.
Prep the lacquer and broil the ribs: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, make the lacquer by combining the ¼ cup char siu marinade with the sorghum syrup and hoisin sauce; mix well. After the ribs have cooked for a total of 2 ½ hours (see second footnote), remove them from the oven, adjust the oven control to broil, and generously brush the meat side of the ribs with all of the lacquer. My late mother taught me to use 3 to 4 green onion roots to brush lacquers, marinades, and sauces onto grilled items; this adds aroma and flavor while avoiding the melting of synthetic brush bristles.
When the broiler is preheated, return the ribs to the oven and allow the lacquer to bubble and caramelize for 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Remove the ribs from the oven, let them cool slightly, then cut the ribs into individual bones. Place the bones on a serving platter, sprinkle with green onions, and serve immediately.
*Red fermented tofu is essentially a cheat code when incorporated into a dish, providing great umami depth and a tasty bit of funkiness. It can be utilized as a condiment, or as a quick flavor bomb when crumbled in or on dishes. It may be too pungent to eat by itself, but it can complement other ingredients. As a fermented product, it can last indefinitely when properly stored, and it’s easy to find in Asian markets or online.
**If you prefer “fall off the bone ribs,” cook for 3½ hours before broiling; if you like a bit more chew, only cook for about 2 hours before broiling. I personally like that Goldilocks just right balance between chew and tenderness at the 2½ hours listed in the recipe.

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