Oven Baked Tender Ribs
This is my family’s favorite ribs. Oven baked, tender juicy ribs. With a magical sauce that is saucy, spicy, tangy and with just the right touch of umami. And so easy to make in the oven. Enjoy ❤️
Servings: 6 pax
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg prime ribs
Marinate
- 1 small apple
- Steak dry rub
Home-made sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp 老干妈 fermented black bean chilli sauce link: https://s.shopee.sg/6ppBKvp39F
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tbsp cincalok aka Malacca fermented shrimp chilli relish https://s.lazada.sg/s.XVMu0
Instructions
- Wash the ribs clean and wipe it dry. If the meat on the topside of the ribs is rather thick, make a few slits to allow for better marination.
- Remove the skin of a small red apple ( green or red apple both works). Using the peeler, slice the apple thinly and rub the apple slices all over the ribs. (note: the juice of the apple will help to tenderise and flavor the meat). Place the ribs in foil, seal and let it marinate, chilled in the fridge overnight if possible, if not minimum ~ 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 180C. Meanwhile take out the tenderised ribs from the fridge and season them all over with dry rub ( you can use any store bought steakhouse rub). Optional: I like to add in one to two bulbs of garlic here to bake with the ribs. Once the ribs are well seasoned with the rub, seal loosely with the foil and bake@180C for 1 1/2 hours. Whilst the ribs are baking, prepare the glazing sauce.
- In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients of the glazing sauce and stir until combined.
- After 1 1/2 hours, remove the ribs from the over and glaze generously all over with the home-made sauce. Turn up the oven temperature to 200C and put the ribs back to bake at the highest rack for 15-20minutes to allow it to have a saucy glossy char.
- Remove the ribs from the oven and let sit for 5 min. Then brush on more of that delicious glazing sauce and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
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#1 Cut of meat - we like a bit more fat in our ribs as it adds to that oooh so delicious melt-in-the-mouth texture when nicely baked. So I always chose prime ribs with ~ 20% fat on it. Also it’s preferable to go for less meaty cuts on the rib rack. Whenever the ribs are too thick and meaty, it tends to be lean and less juicy. Trust me on this, go for a bit of fat and less meaty racks for perfectly baked juicy ribs!
#2 Baking time - I never bake my ribs beyond 1 1/2 hours as I find the meat becomes too soft if it is baked beyond this timing. Our family likes a blend of buttery melt-in-your-mouth but still with a bit of meat texture and chew when we eat off the bone. Therefore an 1 1/2 hour bake is the sweet spot for us. But if the preference is for a much softer and completely melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, bake for a further 20-30 minutes before glazing.
#3 Adding apples - I marinate with apples because apple juice contains enzymes which help to tenderize and flavor the meat. I usually like to let the meat marinate overnight but if there is a crunch for time, try and do at least 1 hour marinate. You can also adjust the baking time for a further 5-10 minutes as appropriate to get it to your desired tenderness. There is no need to remove the apple slices as they will simply bake and melt into the meat giving fantastic flavor and sweetness.
#4 Dry rub - I used a steakhouse dry rub to give the meat a base saltiness and herb fragrance as it bakes. This flavor is then super enhanced with the glazing sauce and final charring in the oven. You can make your own but I usually use store bought steakhouse rub for convenience.
#5 Glazing Sauce - this home-made sauce is simply divine. It has that sweet spiciness with a magical tangy, umami flavor. If you ask me, the two special ingredients that makes this sauce so unique is the Lao Gan Ma fermented bean chilli and the malacca fermented shrimp chilli relish (cincalok). IMHO, these add a delicious umami complexity which entirely elevates the sauce to another level. If you can find them where you are, don’t miss them out. If you cannot, substitute with simple Chinese black bean sauce and any favorite chilli dip/paste on your list. The taste might not exactly be the same but I’m sure it will still be delicious 🤤🤤😋
#6 Make ahead - I usually marinate the ribs and make the glazing sauce one day ahead. On the serving day itself, simply season with rub, bake, glaze and serve. Easy ... as pie 😄