BBQ Beef Short Ribs Vs Sticky Chinese Pork Ribs/BBQ Beef Short Ribs Vs Sticky Chinese Pork Ribs

Supplies

  • For the beef short ribs:
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 4 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 1 tbsp hot smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 5 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 5 tbsp brown sauce
  • 100ml malt vinegar
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 100ml bourbon
  • 4 large or 8 smaller beef short ribs from a butcher
  • Sticky Chinese Ribs
  • 1 rack of pork ribs
  • Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Chinese five-spice
  • For the glaze:
  • 2 red onions, finely sliced
  • 1 tsp Chinese five-spice
  • 4 tbsp apple juice
  • 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp runny honey
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Steps

  1. For the beef short ribs: put the first 10 ingredients in a food processor and whizz to a sauce. Put the ribs in a food baking dish, pour over the sauce and rub all over.
  2. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Cover and cook the ribs for 4 hrs until tender. Remove the ribs to a baking sheet.
  3. Tip all the liquid left into a saucepan – leave for a while to separate, then skim off and discard any fat that has risen to the top. Boil the sauce down on the hob until thick. Brush this over the ribs.
  4. Heat oven to 200 C and roast the ribs, uncovered, tossing halfway, for 30 mins until sticky and glazed on the outside. Serve with pickles.
  5. For the Chinese ribs: preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas 3. Take three layers of tin foil and place the ribs in the centre, drizzle them with oil and rub all over with the five-spice.
  6. Seal into a tight parcel and pop onto a tray in the middle of the oven for 3 hours, or until just tender and cooked through.
  7. For the glaze, put the onions into a frying pan on a medium heat with some sesame oil and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft.
  8. Stir in the five-spice then stir in the rest of the glaze ingredients and leave to bubble away for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to cool a little.
  9. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blitz until smooth, loosening with a splash of water, if needed, then pass through a fine sieve so it’s smooth.
  10. Transfer the cooked ribs to a tray, discarding the foil, and turn the oven up to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
  11. Heat oven to 200 C and roast the ribs, uncovered, tossing halfway, for 30 mins until sticky and glazed on the outside. Serve with pickles.
  12. Brush a thick layer of glaze over the ribs and return them to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until sticky and dark.