Name: Korean BBQ Sauce for Ribs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Cuisine: Asian, Korean
Ingredients: 3 pounds of boneless country-style spare ribs around 12 pieces (around 5 pounds with bone-in); 2/3 cup Korean red pepper paste; 1 to 3 teaspoons Korean red chili pepper flakes; 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 1/4 cup rice wine, not vinegar (or use mirin or white wine); 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 4 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 3 tablespoons minced garlic; 2 tablespoons grated ginger; half a small white onion, grated; 3 tablespoons of an Asian pear diced and peeled or substitute a sweet green pear or red apple, cored, peeled, and grated; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; Fruit Salsa (side dish):; 1 cup chopped green apple; 1/2 cup diced fresh mango; 1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple; 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; Mix all the salsa ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve with ribs; Garnish: 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

Korean BBQ Sauce really will make your pork spare ribs over the top flavorful, tender, and scrumptious even on chicken or beef it's so versatile.

These fork-tender boneless pork country-style spare ribs or bone-in ribs are slow-cooked in the oven and then finished under the broiler for a crispy char that will give them that wow factor to any rib lover out there after the first bite.

We offer other cooking methods below, for those who prefer pan-fried, made in a slow-cooker smoked, on your outdoor grill, or baked, and will be delicious no matter which method you choose to cook with.

Korean BBQ sauce has a little spicy zing to it and is so flavorful using some fruit, ginger, plus spices to complement any meat you use!

You may also like to try one of our homemade seasonings we make DIY Seasonings and rubs for a mild blend for all meats and seafood.

These ribs are the most asked beside one other family favorite sauce which is our Jack Daniels Homemade Barbecue Sauce a milder sauce we use all summer long.

Scroll through our tips and suggestions and we also included a fruit salsa that goes perfectly to tame the heat for a side dish we love just print off the recipe at the bottom of the page.

Korean homemade BBQ sauce recipe for pork ribs

Easiest Recipe step by Step for Boneless or Bone-In Ribs

preheat the over to 300 degrees and oil spray a baking dish
make the BBQ sauce and set it aside
place the ribs in the baking dish brush with sauce and add a little to the pan
bake covered for around an hour and thirty minutes
finish under the broiler adding the sesame seeds if desired
serve with fruit salsa

collage of boneless ribs , Korean sauce and basting ribs

Cooking Methods

Grilled in Foil Method: First I usually parboil the ribs for 20 minutes. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Prepare the sauce you're going to use and set it aside. Slice the slab in half. Add the dry rub to the ribs. Place half the ribs in a single layer in the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty foil. Bring up long sides of foil. Do this again in another piece of foil for another slab if you have more to cook. Place on the grill for 45 minutes. to 1 hour or until ribs are soft when pierce with a fork. Remove ribs from foil packet; return ribs to grill on both sides basting with your favorite sauce for around 15 more minutes.
Slow Cooker: Using a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker or instant pot, add the ribs to the cooker with rub on each side. Place on high for 5-6 hours. Add 1/2 of apple juice, coke, root beer, or Dr. Pepper and Korean sauce.
Electric Smoker: Heat the smoker to 225 degrees and use hickory or mesquite chips or another kind you prefer. Place the ribs on an oil-sprayed rack. Smoke the ribs for 3 hours adding wood chips every 35 minutes. Remove the ribs from the racks. Place the ribs on aluminum foil making a pocket, and pour a little apple juice, flavored soda as mentioned previously, wine, and beer, (around 4 tablespoons) into the foil pocket for steaming purposes. This will help tenderize the ribs. Place them back in the smoker for 2 hours, then remove and add your favorite barbecue sauce.

ingredients used in Korean barbecue sauce

Ingredients You Will Need

boneless country-style spare ribs or bone-in)
Korean red pepper paste
Korean red chili pepper flakes
low sodium soy sauce
rice wine, not vinegar (or use mirin or white wine)
sesame oil
honey
brown sugar
minced garlic
grated ginger
half a small white onion, grated
Asian pear, sweet green or red apple, grated our use a bosc pear
black pepper

mxing the garlic paste and fruits with chili sauce

Tips For Making Korean BBQ Sauce for Ribs

for a sweeter sauce add more brown sugar
beef ribs can also be substituted or chicken
leftovers are great in fried rice recipes or shredded in a wrap or slider buns
you can make this sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it covered for up to 4 days
bosc pears or fuji apples are what I substitute for Asian pears when you can't find them locally
in a hurry use store-bought Korean sauce, boil the ribs for 25 minutes, and air fry for 11 minutes
for crispier ribs, pan-fry them a bone-in with a little bit of oil until crispy around 10 minutes. Then add the sauce to a baking dish and finish baking in the oven at 275 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender basting occasionally (as shown in the photo below)

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Serving Suggestions

These ribs can be served with plain steamed rice, jasmine rice, or fried rice besides the homemade salsa recipe we added.

Also, Oriental Ramen Noodle Salad goes great with these ribs or your favorite cole slaw.

Korean BBQ Sauce for Ribs

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 H & 30 MTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

A spicy homemade Korean barbecue sauce for boneless or bone-in spare ribs. with instructions cooking several cooking different methods

Ingredients

3 pounds of boneless country-style spare ribs around 12 pieces (around 5 pounds with bone-in)
2/3 cup Korean red pepper paste
1 to 3 teaspoons Korean red chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine, not vinegar (or use mirin or white wine)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons grated ginger
half a small white onion, grated
3 tablespoons of an Asian pear diced and peeled or substitute a sweet green pear or red apple, cored, peeled, and grated
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fruit Salsa (side dish):
1 cup chopped green apple
1/2 cup diced fresh mango
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Mix all the salsa ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve with ribs
Garnish: 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and oil spray a baking dish to fit the ribs.
Place the garlic, ginger, apple, and onion in a food processor.
In a small bowl mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Place the ribs in the baking dish.
Brush with the marinade and pour 3/4 of it into the baking dish reserving some for finishing the ribs when cooked
Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes covered loosely with foil.
In the meantime make the salsa and refrigerate until serving.
Remove the baking dish brush the top with reserved sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Broil the ribs on high until crispy on top just a few minutes or until slightly charred on top.
Serve with a side of fruit salsa or see other optional suggestions for side dishes.

Notes

Tips For Making Korean BBQ Sauce for Ribs

for a sweeter sauce add more brown sugar
beef ribs can also be substituted or chicken
you can make this sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it covered for up to 4 days
bosc pears or fuji apples are what I substitute for Asian pears when you can't find them locally
in a hurry use store-bought Korean sauce, boil the ribs for 25 minutes, and air fry for 11 minutes
for crispier ribs, pan-fry them a bone-in with a little bit of oil until crispy around 10 minutes. Then add the sauce to a baking dish and finish baking in the oven at 275 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender basting occasionally

Cooking Methods

Grilled in Foil Method: First I usually parboil the ribs for 20 minutes. Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Prepare the sauce you're going to use and set it aside. Slice the slab in half. Add the dry rub to the ribs. Place half the ribs in a single layer in the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty foil. Bring up long sides of foil. Do this again in another piece of foil for another slab if you have more to cook. Place on the grill for 45 minutes. to 1 hour or until ribs are soft when pierce with a fork. Remove ribs from foil packet; return ribs to grill on both sides basting with your favorite sauce for around 15 more minutes.
Slow Cooker: Using a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker or instant pot, add the ribs to the cooker with rub on each side. Place on high for 5-6 hours. Add 1/2 of apple juice, coke, root beer, or Dr. Pepper and Korean sauce.
Electric Smoker: Heat the smoker to 225 degrees and use hickory or mesquite chips or another kind you prefer. Place the ribs on an oil-sprayed rack. Smoke the ribs for 3 hours adding wood chips every 35 minutes. Remove the ribs from the racks. Place the ribs on aluminum foil making a pocket, and pour a little apple juice, flavored soda as mentioned previously, wine, and beer, (around 4 tablespoons) into the foil pocket for steaming purposes. This will help tenderize the ribs. Place them back in the smoker for 2 hours, then remove and add your favorite barbecue sauce.