Sticky ribs that actually fall off the bone. These sticky Asian ribs are baby back ribs rubbed with brown sugar and spices, baked low and slow at 300°F for 3 hours, then broiled with a glossy honey soy glaze. No smoker. No grill. Just your oven doing all the work. 15 minutes of prep for the best ribs ever!
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I've made these more times than I can count, and this version is the keeper. Three hours at 300°F makes the meat melt while the edges stay juicy. The secret weapon? A little ketchup in the glaze for tang and body, so it clings to every rib instead of sliding onto the pan.
I am a self proclaimed ribs queen. I have been told I make the best ribs by several people and I don't even own a smoker. I'm here to show you my tried and true tips.
The flavor sits somewhere between Chinese char siu and a Filipino BBQ glaze: sweet, salty, garlicky, and sticky on your fingers. Two racks feed a crowd, which makes these sticky ribs my move for game day, birthdays, and Sunday dinners. Serve them with a big pot of garlic fried rice and an Asian cucumber salad.
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How to make (VIDEO)
How to make (PICTURES)
- Step 1: Remove the membrane, pat the ribs dry, and rub both sides with the brown sugar garlic rub. Cover tightly with parchment paper, then heavy-duty foil, and bake at 300°F for 3 hours.
- Step 2: Simmer the glaze for 10 minutes, then stir in the cornstarch slurry until thick and glossy.
- Step 3: It should look like this.
- Step 4: Uncover the tender ribs and switch the oven to broil. Brush on the glaze and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until caramelized.
- Step 5: Brush on the glaze and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until caramelized.
What to serve
- Garlic Fried Rice, my favorite way to catch every drop of extra glaze
- Asian Cucumber Salad, cold and crunchy against all that sticky
- Plain steamed jasmine rice, because the glaze deserves a landing pad
- Easy Asian Garlic Noodles for the noodle people at your table
- Cilantro Lime Rice when you want rice with a little zing
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On a ribs kick? Same. Try my 4-Ingredient Air Fryer Ribs, Instant Pot Ribs with Apple Juice and Korean Beef Short Ribs in the Air Fryer next.
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Sticky Asian Ribs (Oven Baked and Fall Off the Bone)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
- Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs and pat them dry with paper towels.2 racks baby back ribs
- Mix the kosher salt, black pepper, brown sugar, and garlic powder. Season both sides of the ribs generously. Place them meat side up on the baking sheet.1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- Cover tightly with parchment paper first, then heavy-duty foil. Crimp the edges to seal.
- Bake for 3 hours, until the meat is tender and pulls back from the ends of the bones.
- Meanwhile, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, hoisin, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger to a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until thick and glossy.½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 6 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cold water
- Take the ribs out, remove the foil and parchment, and switch the oven to broil.
- Brush the ribs with glaze and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until caramelized.
- Brush on one final coat of glaze and top with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with rice.toasted sesame seeds, green onions
- Serve with rice.steamed white rice
Notes
- 300°F is the sweet spot. Hotter and shorter cooks the ribs, but they never get as tender.
- Parchment first, then foil. Do not skip this step. The brown sugar rub glues itself to bare foil and tears the meat.
- Glaze at the end only, or the sugar burns before the ribs are tender. Stay by the oven for the full 3 to 5 minute broil, the glaze goes from glossy to burnt fast.
- St. Louis style ribs need 30 to 45 minutes longer at 300°F.
- Make ahead: bake up to 2 days early, refrigerate unglazed, reheat covered at 300°F for 20 to 25 minutes, then glaze and broil.
Nutrition
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Hi, I'm Carmen!
I'm the creator of Eat With Carmen, where I share Filipino and other Asian recipes I love and grew up eating, made simple for everyday cooking.
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Frequently Asked Questions for Sticky Asian Ribs
Yes, remove it. The membrane blocks the rub from soaking in and turns chewy in the oven. Slide a butter knife under it at one end, grab it with a paper towel, and pull.
Bake baby back ribs covered at 300°F for 3 hours. St. Louis style ribs need 30 to 45 minutes longer. Then glaze and broil for 3 to 5 minutes.
The ribs are done when the meat pulls back from the ends of the bones and the rack bends deeply when you lift it with tongs. For fall-off-the-bone tender, the meat between the bones should read about 195°F to 203°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Parchment keeps the sugary rub from sticking to the foil, and the foil seals in the steam. That trapped steam is what makes the ribs fall-off-the-bone tender.
Yes, bake them up to 2 days ahead. Cool, wrap, and refrigerate the unglazed ribs. Reheat covered at 300°F for 20 to 25 minutes, then glaze and broil for 3 to 5 minutes.
Yes, the grill works great. After baking, grill over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, brushing with glaze, until sticky and charred in spots.
Yes, freeze the cooked, unglazed ribs for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat covered at 300°F, then glaze and broil.
Glo says
This recipe is excellent! All the ingredients I always have on hand, so I was pleased how easy this came together. The rib meat was falling of the bone and so juicy and tender. Using the parchment paper under the top foil to cover and seal the ribs was genius.
I made garlic fried rice and an Asian cabbage slaw to along with the ribs. This recipe will definitely be in my rotation.
Thank you for a thorough recipe format. It was easy to follow.
Carmen Spillette says
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Karen Guillory says
The easiest, flavorful, best ribs I ever made!!!
Alma says
Asian style is really something🫰
Mercy says
Feels like im in a chinese resto! 😋😋😋
Brin says
10/10
Carmen Spillette says
Thank you!
Dorothy Hadley says
Just like the name says, these are SO easy and some of the best sticky Asian ribs I've ever had! Thanks Carmen!!!
Carmen Spillette says
Thank you!
Quin Allen says
What an amazing recipe, my whole family can't get enough. If you love ribs, you'll fall in love with these.
Carmen Spillette says
Thank you so much