Sticky Asian Ribs 

Sticky Asian Ribs with beef back ribs are delicious beef ribs cooked with a sweet and savory sticky sauce with an Asian twist. These ribs are braised on the stovetop for a long time, resulting in tender meat that is finger-licking good!

The sauce combines honey, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and a touch of Sriracha sauce, giving it a lightly spicy kick. The sweet and savory flavors make it a hit with the whole family and kids friendly.

So gather your loved ones and enjoy these finger-licking ribs with the irresistible sticky sauce!

For more Asian rib recipes, try these delicious recipes: Thai-style sticky pork ribs or flaken beef ribs. Serve them with purple sticky rice or regular sticky rice and a Lao papaya salad for a complete meal.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• What is Sticky Asian Ribs
• Ingredients for Sticky Asian Ribs
• How to make Asian Sticky Ribs recipe
• Garnishing options
• Beef Rib's Silver Skin
• How to remove the rib's silver skin membrane?
• Helpful kitchen notes and tips
• Helpful kitchen tools for this recipe
• What to serve with Sticky Asian Ribs
• Variations
• Substitutes
• Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More recipes you'll love
• Sticky Asian Ribs 
• Related
• Pairing

Why you'll love this recipe

• It's packed full of savory, tangy, and sweet flavors. These melt-in-your-mouth ribs are super tender and packed with delicious Asian flavors.
• It's perfect for a game day finger food or a fun party appetizer for winter game days!
• Family and kids-friendly! It's a fun finger food to enjoy with everyone in your family, and the sticky glaze makes it irresistible for picky eaters.
• It's an easy recipe. The ingredients are easy to find, and the steps are straightforward! 
• It's convenient! You can find most of the ingredients at your local grocery store.

What is Sticky Asian Ribs

Sticky Asian Ribs are a mouthwatering dish made from a rack of beef ribs. They are cooked in a savory Asian-style sauce featuring sauce ingredients like oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sriracha honey, vinegar, and more. The result is tender ribs with a sticky glaze full of flavor.

Ingredients for Sticky Asian Ribs

• Oil. Use avocado, vegetable, canola, or any neutral oil is fine. Sesame oil or olive oil are not recommended.  
• Garlic. Garlic deepens the flavor of the ribs, especially when it's sauteed first.
• Shallot. Sauteeing shallot with garlic and cilantro stems for a little bit with oil extract a deep flavor to this recipe.
• Cilantro stems. It adds an extra depth of flavors that is unique to Thai flavors.
• Beef back ribs. Cut the beef ribs into smaller pieces for this recipe, as they must fit into a stock pot. Ask your butcher to cut them if you don't want to do it yourself. 
• Broth. Use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth. 
• Sriracha sauce. Add tangy and spicy flavors to the ribs. Use and adjust as necessary for your spice level and taste buds. 
• Hoisin sauce. Adds sweet, thick, savory flavors to this Asian-style ribs recipe
• Oyster sauce. This is the Asian sauce that is equivalent to the BBQ sauce for my Asian recipes! It adds an extra addictive umami flavor to your ribs. 
• Rice vinegar. Vinegar helps break down the connective tissue in meat when cooking, creating bone-tender best ribs. 
• Honey. Honey is what makes this sticky Asian ribs recipe "sticky." Agave or brown sugar works as a sweetener.   
• Garnishing: Use sesame seeds, chopped spring onions, and cilantro leaves for garnishing.

How to make Asian Sticky Ribs recipe

Step 1. Remove the membrane. The first step is removing the silver skin on the back of the ribs. They are thin, paper-like sheets of membrane. Use a paper towel for a better grip. Cut the rack of ribs into individual ribs for easier cooking.

I cut mine into smaller pieces to fit into my Dutch oven and have more pieces to share.

Step 2. Sautéed the aromatics: Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat, and add oil. Once hot enough, add chopped garlic, shallot, and cilantro stems. Sautéed until lightly browned. 

Step 3. Browned the beef ribs. Add the beef ribs and let it sautéed for 3-4 minutes. Make sure the meaty side gets nice and browned for the extra depth of flavors. Toss the rib pieces so each side is lightly browned. 

Step 4. Braised the ribs in broth. Add the broth to the pan, stir, and mix well. The large meat pieces could be hard to move around the liquid. Use a tong to stir, move, and mix well with the broth.

Cover the pot, lower the heat to medium, and let it cook for 15-20 minutes to soften the meat.

Step 5. Seasoned the meat with sauces. Move the meat pieces to the sides of the pot, add all the sauces to the center part with the liquid, and stir with a wooden spoon to mix the sauces well.

Then, mix it all in a pot, cover the lid, and cook for 30 minutes. 

Step 6. Braised and reduced. Check the pot a few times to stir and flip the ribs around and to also see where the liquid is. Remove the lid for the rest of the cooking time and cook for 10-15 minutes more.

We want to reduce the liquid to a thick, brown, sticky sauce.

Step 7. The sticky sauce. Once the sauce thickens, move the beef ribs around in the pot to make sure each side of the ribs gets a thorough coating of the beautiful brown sticky sauce. Turn the heat off and allow the ribs to cool.

Serve on a large serving platter with your favorite sides. Have lots of damp paper towels ready for your fingers! Enjoy!

Garnish and Serve!

Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the ribs. Serve your Sticky Asian Ribs with jasmine rice or your favorite sides.

Garnishing options

You can garnish your Sticky Asian Ribs with sesame seeds and chopped green onions for a fresh and flavorful touch.

Beef Rib's Silver Skin

Rib's silver skin, known as the peritoneum, is a thin, shiny membrane covering the rib bones' surface. It acts as a protective layer, providing support and cushioning to the ribs while helping to hold them in place. The silver color comes from its smooth and reflective surface, which gives it a distinct appearance.

How to remove the rib's silver skin membrane?

The silver skin can be tough to remove. The best way to do it is to use a sharp, small knife to tear a corner piece, then use your fingers to rib the sheet off as much as possible carefully. They are unpleasant to bite into if left on during cooking. Also, they prevent the seasoning from seeping into the meat, so do your best to remove the silver skin. 

Helpful kitchen notes and tips

• If using smaller cuts of ribs like Baby back pork ribs, use less time to cook. They won't take as long as the meaty beef ribs, as there's not much meat on the bones. Use a fork to test your ribs. If they are tender and fall off the bones easily, then it's good. 
• Don't discard the leftover sticky sauce from the pan after cooking. Scoop it up into a small bowl and use it to pour over the plated ribs. Or use it as a veggie dipping sauce or overcooked Jasmine rice. The golden brown sauce is So delicious!
• To make the ribs extra tender, marinate them in the sauce overnight before cooking.
• Use a meat thermometer to ensure the ribs reach the desired internal temperature.
• If you don't have a grill, broil the ribs in the oven for a similar effect.

Helpful kitchen tools for this recipe

• 7-quart Dutch oven
• Butcher's Knife
• Thick wood cutting board. Use a solid, thick cutting board to cut your beef ribs.

What to serve with Sticky Asian Ribs

Sticky Asian Ribs go well with Thai sticky rice, jasmine rice, and steamed vegetables. You can also serve them with a side of Thai cucumber salad or a refreshing salad like Thai green papaya salad.

Variations

• You can try this recipe with different ribs like pork baby back ribs, short ribs, or boneless pork chops for a quicker cooking time.

• Use half orange juice and half broth for a more citrusy sauce. 

• For added spices, use bay leaves, star anise, sliced fresh ginger, garlic powder, white or black pepper. Use just a little bit of your favorite ingredient and customize the flavors to your liking!

Substitutes

• Use apple cider, white, or balsamic vinegar if you can't find rice vinegar.
• ​Use your favorite hot sauces instead of Sriracha for an added kick. Adjust the flavors with more honey, hoisin, or oyster sauce to get the perfect balance of flavors.

Storage

Store any leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge. They can be reheated in the oven or microwave for a quick meal the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions

More recipes you'll love

• Sticky Asian pork ribs recipe, using pork spare ribs
• Instant pot Tom Yum soup
• Moo Ping, Thai pork BBQ on skewers
• Thai baked chicken wings

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Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with sticky Asian ribs.