How about these Oven Baked Asian Ribs with Crispy Onions for Chinese New Year? Scroll down for our video that shows exactly how to make these tender, sticky ribs topped with crunchy onions.
Chris and I occasionally travel to London for work — events, courses and the like — and whenever we do we try to squeeze in sightseeing, shopping and, most importantly, eating. One memorable meal was at a Chinatown restaurant that served delicious Asian-style ribs topped with crispy onions and chillies. We were partly drawn in by their cocktail list, but the ribs are what stuck with me.
The combination of fall-off-the-bone pork and the salty, hot, crunchy onions was sublime. I’ve always wanted to recreate that dish at home and, after a bit of trial and error, I finally landed on a method that delivers tender oven-baked ribs finished with a sticky glaze and an addictive crispy onion topping.
I’d perfected several rib recipes over the years — sticky slow-cooked ribs, BBQ sticky ribs and salt & pepper ribs — so the meat wasn’t the problem. The tricky part was recreating those perfect crispy onions. I guessed they were coated and deep-fried, and didn’t relish getting a deep fryer out just for a topping, so the idea stayed on the back burner.
Then, while shopping in an Asian supermarket, I discovered large bags of ready-made crispy fried onions that looked exactly like the topping I remembered. I bought a bag to experiment with and later found them in mainstream supermarkets too. I couldn’t believe I’d never noticed them before.
To make the topping, I shallow-fried the pre-fried onions briefly with oil, salt, garlic, chillies and spring onions. The result was irresistible — I could happily snack on a bowl of that instead of popcorn, albeit with more saturated fat!
With the topping solved, I tried a different approach for the ribs. Instead of my usual slow-cook-then-fry routine, I marinated the ribs and cooked them slowly in the oven on a rack over a tray of hot water. After several hours I brushed on more marinade, sprinkled light brown sugar and returned them to the oven to caramelise. The result is tender ribs with a sticky, slightly sweet glaze.
I wanted the ribs to have that char-siu red hue often seen in Asian dishes, but I didn’t want to use artificial food colouring. Red bean curd paste can also provide colour, but it wasn’t available locally. Instead I used gochujang, which has a natural deep red tone and adds a pleasant, spicy depth to the marinade.
The ribs turned out beautifully — not neon red, but with a subtle reddening and a fantastic flavor. The crispy onion topping finished the dish perfectly. These ribs were such a hit that I served them on New Year’s Eve alongside special fried rice and sweet and sour chicken. They’re a welcome addition to any Chinese New Year menu.
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Equipment:
To make these Oven Baked Asian Ribs with Crispy Onions you will need:
- Measuring spoons and cups.
- A good kitchen knife and chopping board.
- A garlic press (optional).
- A small mixing bowl for the marinade and a larger bowl for the ribs.
- A tray with a rack for oven cooking and a measuring jug for liquids.
- A frying pan or skillet to heat the onion and chilli topping.
- Wooden or silicone-coated spoons for stirring and basting.
The Oven Baked Asian Ribs with Crispy Onions Recipe:
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Oven Baked Asian Ribs with Crispy Onions
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Ingredients
Ribs:
- 10 meaty pork ribs
- 1 heaped tbsp gochujang paste
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- ½ tsp lemongrass paste (or one stalk, finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp dry sherry
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar (for finishing)
Onion and Chilli Topping:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 3–4 chillies, finely chopped (mix red and green)
- 100 g (about 1 1/3 cups) shop-bought crispy fried onions
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 spring onions (scallions), roughly chopped
Instructions
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Place the ribs in a large bowl or a sealable bag. Combine all the rib ingredients except the brown sugar to make the marinade. Pour half the marinade over the ribs and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate the remaining marinade for later. Marinate the ribs for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best flavor.
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Preheat the oven to 110°C/225°F (fan). Set a rack inside a baking tray and pour about 400ml (roughly 1¾ cups) of boiling water into the tray. Place the ribs in a single layer on the rack and bake for 2½ hours. The water in the tray creates a moist low-temperature environment so the meat becomes tender.
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After 2½ hours, brush the reserved marinade over the ribs and sprinkle with light brown sugar. Return the ribs to the oven for 30 minutes to allow the glaze to caramelise.
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While the ribs finish, prepare the topping. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chillies and fry for a few seconds, then add the crispy onions and salt. Stir frequently for 2–3 minutes until everything is heated through. Stir in the spring onions for a minute and take the pan off the heat.
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Remove the ribs from the oven, transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle generously with the onion and chilli topping. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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