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Do you love the ribs from the Chinese restaurant? Then you’re sure to love these!
Chinese BBQ
I was always crazy for Chinese BBQ ribs, but one thing I didn’t know was how easy they were to make at home!
They’re even easier to make nowadays because now you can buy the special BBQ sauce in your supermarket! Even though the sauce is pretty easy made from scratch, there is the investment in the special spices needed. They aren’t cheap and would most likely to lose their potency long before you got a chance to use them up.
These ribs are ready to eat in less than 30 minutes when you use your Instant Pot.
Baby Back Ribs VS Spare Ribs
For years I used regular spare ribs, but lately I’ve been using baby back ribs almost exclusively.
There’s several reasons I’ve been doing this. First and most important, baby back ribs have been on sale for ridiculously low prices for over a year. I have been able to get them for as low as $1.99 per pound and I’ve stocked up.
The next reason comes in second but it’s close on the heels of the first–there’s much less waste on baby back ribs than there is on traditional spare ribs. There’s also less fat and the meat isn’t as stringy. The stringy nature of the meat at the top of regular spare ribs has become a concern with me since I’ve been having some dental issues. Therefore, I now opt for what for me, is a better alternative.
Wow They’re Red!
Indeed they are! That’s the red coloring in Chinese BBQ sauce.
The color won’t hurt you and some commercial Chinese sauces have more “red” than others. I prefer the Mee Tu brand, but I was unable to get it at my local store this time.
If you want to make your own Chinese BBQ sauce you can find the link to the recipe in my Roast Pork with Chinese Vegetables post.
The Recipe
Restaurant Style Chinese BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 1 rack meaty baby back ribs
- 8 oz water
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 2 large garlic cloves crushed
- 1 slice fresh ginger smashed
- 1 piece star anise -OR- 1/4 tsp 5-spice powder
- 1/2 cup commercial Chinese BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Fit ribs in the liner of anInstant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker). Add all ingredients except the Chinese BBQ sauce.
- Set pot to cook at high pressure for 15 minutes (models differ with what they call things and settings, but the ribs should cook for 15 min at 15 psi). Let pressure reduce naturally.
- Remove ribs from the pot, pat them dry then lather them with the BBQ sauce.
- Grill on an outside BBQ or broil in the oven for about 5 minutes each side so sauce is bubbly and begins to caramelize.
Nutrition
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