Chinese 5 Spice Spare Ribs
Three decades ago, after my first trip to Mexico, I developed a passion for spices. When I was out grocery shopping and I saw a spice I wasn’t familiar with, I’d buy it. After arriving home, I’d open the jar, close my eyes and take a big, deep sniff. Many times while doing just that, I was creating recipes in my head just like this one… Chinese 5 Spice Spare Ribs!
Things haven’t changed much since then except I have over 100 different spices in the cupboard now and add more each time I come across a new one. I also make my own spice blends but I won’t go there today, definitely another time… Chinese 5 Spice is quite an interesting combination of spices in one jar. There’s also a little bit of history behind it.
Chinese 5 Spice history…
In ancient Chinese history, this spice was originally used for its medicinal properties. Some say that by creating this “wonder powder” drug it would help to rebalance the “5 elements” (energy) in the body, bringing a perfect harmony of yin and yang therefore preventing illness. Only later on, would this spice be used for Chinese cooking.
We all know the 5 senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) as well as the 5 elements (earth, water, air, fire and æther aka quintessence or void) or if you prefer the Chinese version which is earth, water, fire, wood and metal. What about the 5 tastes? Here they are… sweet, sour, salty, bitter and the last one that is interchangeably known as pungent, hot or spicy.
Based on the information above, this is roughly what Chinese 5 Spice is based on. Although pretty similar, it may vary from one region to another. The most commonly used ingredients are cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorns, Fennel, star anise and cloves. Other blends can be made with ginger, nutmeg or even celery seeds depending on preferences.
Can you make your own? Absolutely! What you need is a spice grinder and a small skillet. I encourage you to do so because when using this particular spice, a little goes a long way. Another ingredient that you should definitely make from scratch is my Sweet Chili Sauce! It’s so delicious, extremely easy to make plus you can adjust the sweetness and the spiciness to your liking… isn’t that great!
I love the Americanized version of Chinese Sweet & Sour Spare Ribs which I will eventually post but when I created this Chinese 5 Spice Spare Ribs recipe, I wanted something totally different with deeper flavors. After the first attempt, it was exactly what I was looking for and I’ve never modified it since.
This recipe has the 5 flavors in it! It is a deliciously different way to enjoy spare ribs. I believe marinating the meat overnight gives it a chance to develop serious flavor in this dish. Also the slow cooking process and basting often brings more tenderness to the meat. I love this Chinese 5 Spice Spare Ribs dish and every time I serve it to my friends and family, they just want more… This is a “harmonious balance of taste in your mouth”!
Bon Appétit!
Here are more Asian inspired recipes for you to enjoy…
– Singapore Noodles
– Dakgangjeong ~ Sweet & Spicy Crispy Korean Chicken
– Sweet & Sour Pineapple Pork
– Thai Chicken Curry
– Vietnamese Summer Rolls
– Wonton Soup
and for even more delicious pork recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Pork
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Chinese 5 Spice Spare Ribs
Hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup honey tips & tricks
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce see Recipe
- 2 tbsp. liquid aminos (substitute low-sodium soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 tbsp. Chinese 5 spice
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar such as demerara, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 3 lbs. pork side ribs, portion into individual ribs
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine hoisin, honey, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, Chinese 5 Spice, brown sugar and cayenne; whisk.
- Place ribs in a large re-sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over; massage until they are evenly coated.
- Transfer to the refrigerator overnight, flipping once in a while.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Generously coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Place the ribs in a single layer in the prepared baking dish; reserve the marinade.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour or until tender, basting every 15 minutes with the reserved marinade.
- Pour the reserved marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep a gentle simmer, basting the ribs every 15 minutes while cooking.
- After an hour, transfer the ribs on a wire rack sitting on a baking sheet. Brush them with the remaining marinade and transfer back to the oven for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, sprinkle on sesame seeds and serve immediately.
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