Sticky Ribs Recipe

Prepare ribs

Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs: slide a knife under the membrane at one end, lift and use a paper towel to grip and pull it off. Pat ribs dry with paper towels.

Trim any excess fat or loose bits. Place ribs on a large sheet of foil, bone-side down, leaving enough foil to wrap them tightly.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and ground cumin. Mix thoroughly to break up any brown-sugar clumps.

Evenly coat both sides of the ribs with the dry rub, pressing it into the meat. If time allows, wrap the rubbed ribs tightly in plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 1–4 hours (or overnight) to deepen flavor; otherwise proceed immediately.

Place the foil-wrapped ribs on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the meat is tender and has pulled back from the ends of the bones by about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Remove from oven and carefully open the foil (watch for steam). Reserve any juices from the foil for the glaze if desired.

While ribs bake (or during the last 20 minutes), make the glaze: in a small saucepan combine ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar (for glaze), honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring.

In a small bowl, whisk together water and cornstarch to form a slurry. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering glaze. Continue to simmer 2–3 minutes until the glaze thickens slightly and becomes glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning (add a pinch of salt, more honey for sweetness, or vinegar for tang). Remove from heat.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F (220°C) or preheat a hot grill to medium-high for finishing. Transfer ribs to a clean baking sheet lined with foil or place on the grill grates bone-side down.

Brush a generous layer of the warm sticky glaze over the top of the ribs. Return to the oven (or place on the grill) and cook 8–12 minutes until the glaze is bubbling and beginning to caramelize. Watch carefully so the sugars don't burn.

Remove ribs and brush with another thin layer of glaze. Let rest 5 minutes; the glaze will set slightly.

Slice the ribs between the bones into individual portions. Spoon any reserved pan juices over the sliced ribs and drizzle additional glaze if desired.

Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if using. Serve hot.