Korean Pork Ribs
PREP
15 mins
COOK
2 hr 25 mins
SERVES
4
DIFFICULTY
Medium
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These Korean-style pork ribs are all about low-and-slow cooking and a bold, sticky glaze. A dry rub flavored with Chinese five spice helps build a fragrant base, while a gochujang and sriracha-based glaze brings the sweet, spicy, umami notes that make the finished ribs irresistible.
Don’t skip removing the membrane on the bone side. That thin layer prevents seasonings from reaching the meat and is a common cause of chewy ribs. Once the membrane is removed, the rub and glaze penetrate better and the ribs become tender throughout.
After a long, slow bake wrapped tightly to trap steam, finish under high heat with the reserved sauce for a glossy, slightly charred crust. Watch closely — the sugars in the glaze caramelize quickly and can burn in moments.
Korean Pork Ribs
PORK · DINNER · MEDIUM
Fall-apart tender, with a proper sticky glaze
Removing the membrane allows seasoning and glaze to reach the meat directly. When the membrane is left intact, rubs and sauces sit on top and the underside can stay tough despite long cooking.
Wrapping the ribs tightly in paper and foil traps steam and braises the meat during the low oven time. This technique turns inexpensive ribs into tender, fork-friendly meat without special equipment.
The last few minutes under high heat caramelize the sugars in the glaze, creating that glazed, slightly charred finish. Most of the cooking happens in the wrapped phase — finishing is quick but impactful.
Korean Pork Ribs
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg Pork baby back ribs
- 150 g Gochujang Korean chili paste
- 150 g Tomato sauce Ketchup
- 50 g Sriracha sauce
- 12 g Chinese five spice powder
- 4 g Onion powder
- 4 g Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper To taste
Method
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Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
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Flip the ribs so the bone side faces up. Use a knife to loosen a corner of the thin white membrane, grip it with a paper towel and peel it off in one piece. Removing this membrane helps seasonings penetrate and prevents a chewy underside.
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In a bowl, whisk together the gochujang, tomato sauce (ketchup) and sriracha until smooth.
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In a separate bowl, mix the Chinese five spice, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Rub this spice mix over both sides of the ribs, pressing it into the meat.
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Brush the gochujang glaze over both sides of the ribs, reserving about one third of the sauce for finishing later.
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Place the ribs on a sheet of baking paper and wrap them tightly. Wrap again in aluminium foil, sealing fully with no gaps. Place on a baking tray and bake for 2 hours 15 minutes at 150°C (300°F).
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Remove the ribs from the oven and increase the temperature to 200°C (390°F).
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Carefully unwrap the ribs (allow 15–20 minutes to cool if you prefer). Place on a clean tray lined with parchment, brush with the reserved glaze and return to the oven for about 7 minutes or until the glaze begins to char. Keep a close eye to avoid burning. Remove and serve hot.
Wrap the ribs tightly in baking paper and foil to trap steam. A tight seal braises the meat and keeps it moist during the long bake.
Watch the ribs closely during the final high-heat glaze step. The sugars in gochujang and ketchup caramelize fast and can shift from perfect char to burnt in seconds.
How do I remove the membrane from the ribs?⌄
Can I make these without gochujang?⌄
Why did my glaze burn instead of char?⌄
Can I freeze these ribs?⌄
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