Five-Spice Smoked Pork Ribs with Sticky Hoisin Glaze

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A rack of pork ribs rubbed with five-spice and brown sugar, then smoked low and slow over cherry wood until the meat pulls away at 203°F. A three-ingredient hoisin glaze goes on at the end and sets into a sticky, char-siu-style lacquer. Almost all of the time is hands-off smoker time.

Ingredients

• 2 racks St. Louis-cut pork spare ribs (about 5 lb total)
• 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 3 chunks cherry wood (or 2 cups cherry wood chips)

• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Set up your smoker for indirect cooking at 250°F (120°C) and add 2 chunks of cherry wood to the coals or the wood box. While it comes up to temperature, pat the ribs dry and slide a paper towel under the thin membrane on the bone side to peel it off.
2. Stir together the brown sugar, salt, five-spice, garlic powder and white pepper. Rub it evenly over both sides of both racks, using about two-thirds on the meaty side. Let the ribs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while the rub turns tacky.
3. Place the racks bone-side down on the grate, leaving space between them for smoke to circulate. Smoke undisturbed at 250°F for 3 hours, adding the third cherry wood chunk after the first hour. Do not open the lid otherwise.
4. Lay each rack on a double sheet of heavy foil, meat-side down, splash 2 tablespoons of water over each, and wrap tightly. Return the packets to the smoker and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours more, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest meat between the bones reads 200-203°F (93-95°C) and the probe slides in with almost no resistance.
5. While the ribs are wrapped, whisk the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar and grated ginger in a small bowl.
6. Unwrap the ribs (pour off the foil juices) and return them meat-side up to the grate. Brush generously with the hoisin glaze and smoke uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes at 250°F, brushing once more halfway, until the glaze is glossy and just tacky to the touch.
7. Rest the racks on a board for 10 minutes, then cut between the bones, brush with any remaining glaze and scatter with sliced scallions.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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