If there’s one thing I love about recreating takeout at home, it’s getting those big, bold flavors without waiting on delivery. I’ve made my fair share of Asian-inspired dishes over the years, but I’ve been craving those classic spare ribs, the ones with the sweet, sticky glaze and that signature red color.
So, I finally went for it. I researched and created a recipe for takeout-style Chinese spare ribs that had just the right mix of ingredients to hit all the flavors I’m used to, and I whipped up a hoisin-based sauce that smelled incredible from the start. I even went all in with the red food coloring because, let’s be honest, it’s part of the experience. BUT if there’s one tweak I would make it would be to add more food coloring to get that bright red color that Chinese inspired spare ribs have. After tossing the ribs in the sauce, I let them soak overnight in the slow cooker so every bite would be packed with flavor.
The next day, they were fall-off-the-bone tender, which made them perfect for the grill. A quick finish over medium-high heat was all it took to give them that gorgeous caramelized crust and a hint of smokiness, just like the ones you’d get from a good takeout spot. The combination of the sweet hoisin, warm five-spice, and sticky hoisin glaze made these ribs absolutely irresistible.
Everything about these takeout-style Chinese spare ribs was spot-on: the flavor, the texture, and yes, even the color. It scratched that takeout itch in the best way possible, and the best part is I made enough to enjoy leftovers the next day. You know how sometimes leftovers just taste even better? That’s exactly what happened here.
This is the kind of recipe that’s going into heavy rotation for summer grilling and even game-day spreads. If you’re looking to impress friends or just treat yourself to something that feels special, these ribs are it.
This recipe is my contribution to the National Pork Board’s challenge to think beyond the basics when cooking pork. These ribs are bold, crave-worthy, and surprisingly easy, no deep fryer or complicated techniques needed. I would even say they are more tender than the real take out ribs because sometimes those ribs were a little harder. I love a rib that melts into your mouth when you into it and these ribs do just that.
Takeout-Style Chinese Spare Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork ribs
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey, plus extra for finishing
- 1/2 tablespoon five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring, optional, for traditional color
- 1 tsp cornstarch for sauce if needed
- Green onion and white sesame seeds to garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, five-spice powder, garlic,ginger, and red food coloring if using.
- Place ribs in the slow cooker and pour sauce mixture over them, coating evenly.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or overnight until ribs are very tender.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Remove ribs from slow cooker and let excess sauce drip off.
- Grill ribs for about 2 minutes per side until lightly charred and smoky.
- Reserve the liquid from the slow cooker and reduce on low until thick and smooth (add 1 tsp of cornstarch if needed to thicken)
- Spoon glaze on ribs, slice, garnish and serve hot.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
