I’m into grilled ribs, but I’m still concerned about consuming too much burnt parts of the meat, which can have a negative impact on our health. Therefore, I’ve made a version of honey-glazed pork ribs, carefully observing the doneness to achieve tasty but still healthy grilled ribs. This is also a soy sauce-free recipe to enjoy the special flavor of honey and ribs. Let’s try.
Table of Contents
What are Pork Ribs? Different Kinds of Pork Ribs
Pork ribs are a popular cut of meat obtained from the ribcage of a pig. Flavorful and tender, pork ribs meat can be cooked in various methods, including grilling, smoking, roasting, braising, making pork rib porridge and soup, or stewing. However, if we take time learning a bit more about pork ribs, there are many different kinds of pork ribs, each with its own characteristics and culinary uses. The main types of pork ribs include:
- Baby Back Ribs: Taken from the top of the ribcage near the spine, baby back ribs are smaller and leaner than other types of pork ribs, with tender meat and a curved bone shape. Baby back ribs are a popular choice for grilling or making soup thanks to its tenderness.
- Spare ribs: Spare ribs, the most popular pork ribs sold in every supermarket, are cut from the lower part of the ribcage, closer to the belly. They are larger and meatier than baby back ribs but can be slightly tougher. Spare ribs have a higher fat content, which adds flavor and moisture when cooked. It’s an ideal type of meat for grilling, because in the same time span, grilled spare ribs are often more tender and flavorful than stewed ones. In this recipe, I also used spare ribs.
- St. Louis Style Ribs: St. Louis style ribs are a specific cut of spare ribs. They are trimmed to remove the sternum bone, cartilage, and excess meat, resulting in a rectangular, even-shaped rack of ribs. St. Louis style ribs are often used in competitions and are favored for their uniformity in cooking.
Potential Health Risks of Burnt Pork Ribs
Although a full, even charred ribs are truly attractive and delicious, there are several reasons that made me avoid excessive burnt meat in general, so does pork ribs. When rib is cooked at high temperatures, especially when it’s grilled or charred, it can produce HCAs and PAHs, which are chemicals associated with an increased risk of cancer in animal studies. These compounds can potentially be harmful if we consume in large quantities over a long period.
That’s the reason why you can see my grilled pork ribs are not so evenly charred. I grilled it with my microwave combi-oven at a stable temperature with careful observation of the doneness.
Ingredients of Honey Glazed Pork Ribs
To marinade pork ribs, I tried and adjust many times to get simple but tasty grilled ribs. Let’s prepare:
- 400g-500g (14-17 oz) pork ribs
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced shallot
- (Optional) tsp of paprika powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp of five-spice powder
With optional spices and condiments, you are free to add and adjust to achieve your preferred marinade recipe. Paprika powder will make your ribs more flavorful and vibrant after frilling. Garlic powder enhance the aroma. Five-spice powder brings a Chinese vibe for the dish to become Chinese honey glazed pork ribs.
How to Bake Honey Glazed Pork Ribs in Oven
You can grill your honey glazed pork ribs on a griller, in oven, microwave combi-oven or air fryer. Follow the steps below:
Step 1. Marination
- Directly add 2 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp minced shallot, etc. onto the ribs.
- Wear gloves and use your hand to rub the marinades all over the pork ribs. Let the ribs rest for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.
Step 2. Grilling/Baking
- If you use a griller, start the fire; if you bake ribs in oven, preheat the oven at 400oF (200oC) in 15 minutes. Bake/grill the ribs in 15 minutes. Then, flip the pork ribs and continue to bake/grill in 10-15 minutes more. Keep an eye on the oven to control the level of doneness and avoid excessive charred ribs, especially when you grill it on fire.
Step 3. Serving
- Remove the ribs from the oven/griller and cut into pieces of rib. Also try to remove the burnt parts of your pork ribs for a healthier meal. With Honey glazed Pork ribs, you can store it in fridge for 3 days. To reheat, it’s better to bake it again at 350 oF (175 oC) for 5-10 minutes but note that ribs might be tougher and drier after reheating. Therefore, try to consume all mouthwatering pork ribs right after cooking!
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Honey Glazed Pork Ribs Recipe
Ingredients
- 400g-500g pork ribs 14-17 oz
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced shallot
- Optional tsp of paprika powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp of five-spice powder
Instructions
You can grill your honey glazed pork ribs on a griller, in oven, microwave combi-oven or air fryer. Follow the steps below:
Step 1. Marination
- Directly add 2 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp minced shallot, etc. onto the ribs.
- Wear gloves and use your hand to rub the marinades all over the pork ribs. Let the ribs rest for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.
Step 2. Grilling/Baking
- If you use a griller, start the fire; if you bake ribs in oven, preheat the oven at 400oF (200oC) in 15 minutes. Bake/grill the ribs in 15 minutes. Then, flip the pork ribs and continue to bake/grill in 10-15 minutes more. Keep an eye on the oven to control the level of doneness and avoid excessive charred ribs, especially when you grill it on fire.
Step 3. Serving
- Remove the ribs from the oven/griller and cut into pieces of rib. Also try to remove the burnt parts of your pork ribs for a healthier meal. With Honey glazed Pork ribs, you can store it in fridge for 3 days. To reheat, it’s better to bake it again at 350 oF (175 oC) for 5-10 minutes but note that ribs might be tougher and drier after reheating. Therefore, try to consume all mouthwatering pork ribs right after cooking!