🍯🧄 STICKY HONEY GARLIC RIBS
Servings: 3–4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1.5–2 hours
Total Time: ~2 hours
⭐ Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork ribs (baby back or spare ribs)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (optional but makes them stickier)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tbsp ketchup (optional for color + glaze)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp chili flakes or hot sauce (optional)
🥣 Instructions
1. Prepare the ribs
- Peel off the thin membrane from the back of the ribs (optional but helps tenderness).
- Cut into sections of 3–4 bones for easy handling.
- Pat dry with a paper towel.
2. Make the Honey Garlic Sauce
In a bowl, whisk together:
- Honey
- Soy sauce
- Garlic
- Brown sugar
- Vinegar
- Ketchup (if using)
- Pepper
Taste and adjust sweetness or saltiness if needed.
3. Marinate (optional but recommended)
- Place ribs in a large bowl or bag.
- Pour half the sauce over them.
- Marinate 30 minutes–overnight (optional but enhances flavor).
Keep the rest of the sauce for glazing.
4. Slow-bake the ribs
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Place ribs on a baking tray lined with foil.
- Cover tightly with foil (important).
- Bake 1 hour 30 minutes until tender.
5. Glaze & caramelize
- Increase oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Brush ribs generously with the remaining sauce.
- Bake 10–15 minutes, flipping once and glazing again.
- They should be sticky, shiny, and caramelized.
🍽️ Serve
Serve hot with:
- steamed rice
- roasted vegetables
- sesame seeds
- chopped green onions
These ribs are fall-apart tender and incredibly flavorful.
🔄 Variations
Air Fryer Version
- Air fry ribs at 360°F (180°C) for 20–25 minutes, brushing with glaze halfway.
Stovetop Version
Simmer ribs in water for 45 minutes → drain → pan-sear with sauce until sticky.
Extra Sticky Version
Boil leftover sauce in a pan for 2 minutes until thick, then brush over ribs.