With our third round of Frugal February, I wanted to focus once again on meals that I like to make when I need to save some money and save some time as well, in terms of active cooking time as well as time spent getting new stuff from the grocery store. One of these simple and inexpensive recipes that I love making is ribs. So, I’m definitely excited to finally be able to share this recipe with you all for this month’s theme.
Ribs tend to be a cheaper cut of meat, especially if you can get the meat on sale. One tip that I recommend if you’re looking to get them, or any other meat, on sale is to check the expiration date, and if the date is within the next day or so, you could see if you could get the meat discounted since the grocery store will have to throw it away anyway. And at some grocery stores like mine, they’ll add special price stickers to draw your attention so you don’t even need to ask for the discount!
This recipe is one of my favorites, since it takes very little actual active cooking time, with most of the time spent on cooking the ribs low and slow in the oven and with the dry rub and glaze able to be prepared ahead of time or swapped with store bought versions to save even more time. This results in very juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender ribs that are deceptively complex for how easy it is to make, since all you have to do is basically wrap up the ribs and throw them in the oven. Also, you tend to get a lot of meat for your money, so you can also cook a ton of meat at once and meal prep with this as well.
Speaking of which, if you wish to warm up your leftover ribs, wrap them tightly in parchment paper and aluminum foil again and reheat them in the oven at 275°F for 15 minutes or so or until they’re warmed up to your liking.
I typically prefer beef ribs over pork ribs, but they can be quite a bit more expensive, so if you’re wanting to save some money, I definitely recommend the pork ribs. Though, if you wish to use beef ribs, this recipe will work exactly the same with either type of ribs.
But regardless of what type of meat you use, this extremely simple and highly flavorful recipe will be a great way to cook a whole bunch of juicy and tender meat for very little cost to you, both in terms of your time and your money.
Ingredients:
- 1 rack of pork or beef ribs
- Some Dry Rub
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice (optional)
- 1/2 tsp white pepper (optional)
- Some Barbecue Sauce or Glaze
- 1 tbsp sesame (or other) oil
- 4-6 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Some Sesame Seeds (optional)
- Some Green Onions or parsley (optional)
Step 1: Preheat Oven to 275°F; Remove the Silverskin Membrane & Cut Ribs into 4 Portions; Prepare Dry Rub & Season Ribs Liberally
First, preheat the oven to 275°F. Then, while we wait, we’ll prepare the ribs, so using a sharp knife or your hands, remove the silverskin membrane and any other large pieces of fat and then cut the ribs into 4 portions or so.
For the dry rub, combine the 1/4 cup of brown sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, Chinese Five Spice, and white pepper in a small bowl and then coat all sides of the ribs with the seasoning.
Step 2: Wrap Ribs in Some Parchment Paper & Aluminum Foil; Place on Baking Sheet & Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours
Once your ribs are fully seasoned, wrap them in some parchment paper and some aluminum foil and then place them all on a large baking sheet lined with more aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Then, your oven should be done preheating, so once your ribs are ready, place them into the oven and bake them for 2-2 1/2 hours.
Step 3: Prepare Glaze Before Ribs are Full Cooked
When your ribs are almost done, we’ll begin to prepare the glaze. So, in a small saucepan, add in the sesame oil and heat over medium-low heat.
Then, mince up the garlic and ginger and add it to the oil, sauteing for about 2 minutes or so, or until fragrant.
Add in the 1/2 cup of brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and red pepper flakes and give it a mix.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally and reduce for a few minutes, until thickened slightly.
Then, let the glaze cool a bit before we add it to the ribs.
Step 4: Unwrap Ribs; Pour Drippings into Glaze, Rethickening Sauce, if Necessary
Once your ribs are ready, remove them from the oven and unwrap the ribs. If you wish, you may pour in the drippings into the glaze and then reduce the sauce even more or add in some cornstarch to re-thicken the sauce.
Step 5: Brush Ribs w/ Glaze, Broil for 2-3 Minutes, Add Garnish, & Enjoy!
Then, once your sauce has cooled, brush the ribs all over with the glaze. And then, when you’re ready, set your broiler on high and broil the ribs for 2-3 minutes, watching closely, until they become slightly charred.
Then, remove them from the oven and garnish with your sesame seeds and green onions or parsley, serve with the extra sauce, if desired, and with that, your Sticky Asian Ribs are ready to eat.