Five-Spice Pineapple Pork Ribs

April 27, 2014 by Laura Haugen 18 Comments

Pork ribs, slow-cooked in Chinese five-spice and a tangy-sweet pineapple sauce. That is all. Happy weekend!

Five-Spice Pineapple Pork Ribs

• Servings: 4
• Time: 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

• 2 racks of pork baby back ribs or spare ribs
• sesame oil
• Chinese five spice
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp. cooking oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 8-oz (227 g.) can of pineapple chunks or diced pineapple (with juice)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 Tbs. hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp. of ground ginger
• 3 Tbs. light brown sugar
• splash of white wine vinegar
• handful of cilantro

Directions: Pre-heat the oven to 300 F/150 C. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pat the rib racks dry and lay them meat-side up. Coat with sesame oil and season liberally with Chinese five spice and a sprinkling of salt & pepper. Cook in the oven for 1 and 1/2 hours to 2 hours, or until the meat is beginning to release from the bone and is tender. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:  In a medium saucepan, cook the minced shallot in oil until translucent. Add the pineapple and juice, soy sauce, ketchup, hoisin, ginger, and brown sugar; blend and continue heating until incorporated. Add vinegar to taste (a few drops at a time) and mix well.

Pour about one-third of the sauce over the rib racks to coat the tops and sides and return to the oven to cook for an additional 20-30 minutes. Pour another third of the sauce over at the 15-minute mark. Optional: in remaining few minutes, place them under the broiler to crisp up. Once cool enough, use a knife to separate the racks into individual ribs. Garnish with cilantro and serve with extra sauce for drizzling or dipping.