Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) Ribs

Name: Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) Ribs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 200 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 piece Pork Rib (1 slab ribs (any cut)); ¼ cup Hoisin Sauce (¼ cup hoisin sauce); ¼ cup Water (¼ cup water); 2 tbsp Brandy (2 tablespoons brandy (or dark rum or bourbon)) — optional; 2 tbsp Honey (2 tablespoons honey); 2 tbsp Soy Sauce (2 tablespoons soy sauce); 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil (1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil); 1 tbsp Hot Sauce (1 tablespoon hot sauce such as Tabasco); ½ tbsp Ginger Powder (½ tablespoon ground/powdered ginger); ½ tbsp Onion Powder (½ tablespoon ground/powdered onion); ¼ tbsp Garlic Powder (¼ tablespoon ground/powdered garlic); ¼ tbsp Chinese Five Spice (¼ tablespoon five spice powder); ½ tsp Red Food Coloring (½ teaspoon red food coloring (see note below about substitutions)) — optional

Chinese BBQ pork ribs marinated in a hoisin, soy, and five spice blend, then slow-roasted or grilled until tender and lacquered.

200 minChinese

Servings4

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Halal

Steps

1Prep. Remove the membrane from the rack of ribs. Cut the rack in to individual ribs.
2Mix the marinade thoroughly in a bowl. Don't skip the booze. It helps penetrate, and even if you're a teetotaler, don't worry, there isn't any measurable alcohol in the meat. Yes, I know alcohol can dry meat out, but I just think it works well in this case. If you must skip it, substitute apple juice or water. You can substitute fresh ginger and garlic for powdered ginger and garlic if you wish.
3Marinate. Marinate the meat for 1 to 2 hours in a metal bowl or zipper bags. Discard the used marinade. It is contaminated with meat juice. Don't marinate in a plastic bowl if you use the food coloring. It might stain.
4Fire up. As much as we are fans of outdoor cooking, this meat also tastes great cooked in an indoor oven. Either way, heat your cooker or oven to about 225°F (107.2°C) in the indirect zone.
5Cook. If you are grilling, set up in a 2-zone or Indirect system. Make sure the meat is not directly over the flame on a grill. Indoors, put a pan of water with a rack on top of it under the meat. This is important or drippings will burn in the pan. Roast ribs for about 3 hours, loin strips for about 1 1/2 hours. If you grill, skip the smoking wood. I think it is cleaner and brighter sans lumber.