Classic BBQ Spareribs

Since Chinese New Year is coming up soon (Feb 8th), I would like to post a recipe that I tested many years ago, Classic BBQ Spareribs. I don't have a lot of say about this recipe, except that it is better than ordering a take out.

When my mom visited us three years ago, I made these BBQ spareribs for dinner. She luvs the sweet and salty taste, and she kept mentioning the smoky aromatic from the grill was awesome. Since she's currently staying with us, she asked me to make her some more.

The taste of sweet honey combined well with the salty soy sauce. With no food color, the spareribs still have the deep dark red color from the burnt sugar. Hey, who wants to eat red dye. These are betta for ya!!! The recipe calls for a lot of Asian ingredients. If you don't have them, no worries. I'll help you make do with typical Asian ingredients like soy sauce.

Now, let's talk about cooking these spareribs. I personally don't like an outdoor grill. Well, I like to eat anything off the grill but to have me grill anything outdoor is out of the question. I'm afraid of an open flame and propane tank. With my husband's help, my family's are able to enjoy these BBQ ribs. Without my husband's grill expertise, I'll have to rely on a broiler or a slow cooker. That's everything outdoor grill, by the way, not just ribs.

Classic BBQ Spareribs
adapted from The Chinese Takeout Cookbook
serves 6-8

3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 rack of spareribs, about 3 pounds

Alternatively, skip the following ingredients if you cannot find them. Skip Chinese rice wine and no need to add an alternative. Omit the oyster sauce and add dark soy sauce of the same amount. If you don't have dark soy sauce, use regular or low sodium soy sauce instead. Be sure to use a really good ketchup like Whole Foods 365 or Sir Kensington brand. I find these ketchups to be the most flavorful.

1. In a large bowl (with lid), whisk all of the ingredients together to make a marinade. Set aside.
2. Prepare the spareribs by cutting them into 2-3 ribs.
3. Coat the ribs with the marinade.
4. Cover and place the whole bowl in the fridge overnight.
5. When ready, grill the ribs using a charcoal or an outdoor gas grill. NOTE: My husband grilled these in both charcoal and gas grill. Both cooking methods make delicious ribs.
6. Enjoy them while they are hot with jasmin or sticky rice or any sides.

STORING: Place the leftover BBQ spareribs in a container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Allergy Info: These classic BBQ spareribs are free from dairy, egg, corn, wheat, and fish. Be sure to use wheat free (or gluten free) and/or corn free ingredients. For honey, be sure it is from wild flower fed bees as some honey is from bees that are fed corn syrup.

Slow-Cook Pulled Pork (dry spice rub)

I've been watching cooking shows nearly every day. I luv, luv, luv Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, and Ina Garten. Their recipes are pretty flexible to modify. After I tested so many of their recipes, I decided that they are the best chefs on Food Network.

With that said, I watched Bobby's BBQ Addiction and noticed that he didn't really measure his spices. He would said the amount but he just sprinkled the spices on to the bowl. So when it comes to dry rub, anything goes. Really!!! No jokes!!! It is just ratio on what I want to taste on my meat. I really don't like cumin. It's sort of stinky to me. When making my dry spice rub, I tend not to add too much.

So take all the spices out of your pantry and decide what do you want to make. Here's what I usually do. I have in front of me: sea salt, grounded black peppers, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, light brown sugar. Using a kitchen scale, I measure each ingredient in ratio. If I want Asian flavor, I would change it up by adding grounded star anise or ginger and omit cumin.

This is an alternative way to get away from slaving in the kitchen, especially on a hot summer day. Thinking ahead, you can make your own dry spice rub. Put them in a cute little bottle for a homemade present. The dry spice rub can be kept in an air tight container at a room temperature indefinitely.

Slow-Cook Pulled Pork (dry spice rub)
serves 8

4 to 5 pounds pork shoulder
2 parts (2 oz.) light or dark brown sugar
1 part (1 oz.) sea salt
1/2 part (0.5 oz.) of the following: grounded black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
1/4 part (0.2 oz.) of the following: cumin, paprika

1. Place the pork shoulder on a large cutting board. Trim off the fats.
2. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium size bowl.
3. Generously, rub the dry spice on to the pork shoulder.
4. Put the pork shoulder in the slow cooker's pot fats side up. 
5. Place the pot in the refrigerator over night. NOTE: If time is limited, go ahead and plug in the slow cooker. The flavor is still there, just not as strong.
6. In the morning, plug in the slower cooker and turn it on HIGH.
7. Let the pork cook until dinner time, about 6 to 7 hours. NOTE: I usually turn on the slow cooker at 10am and the dinner is around 5pm.
8. Shred the pulled pork with a fork, discard any fats. Serve and enjoy!

TIPS: There are so many ways I serve this pulled pork: pulled pork tortilla wrap, quesadilla, bao's filling, pulled pork lettuce wrap, or pulled pork sandwich. The possibilities are endless.

Any leftover can be freeze up to six months. No need to defrost them for pizza toppings.

Click here to search for my bread alternative recipes to serve with the pulled pork.

Allergy Info: This dry spice rub is free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts, and fish.