Ginger beer barbecue ribs
We’re bucking the usual dry rub trend here in favour of an aromatic, sweet ginger beer and star anise marinade, reminiscent of a festive ham. The ginger beer and fresh ginger root give these wonderful USA pork spare ribs a festive flavour in every bite and they are extremely tender. You can of course cook these in the oven but there’s nothing quite like the wonderful smoke flavour and delicious bark that develops when you cook these on the BBQ with a little wood. Cherry wood works well with pork for a subtle smoky flavour and a wonderful red hue.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 1 rack of pork spare ribs
- 30g of unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp of maple syrup
Marinade
- 500ml of ginger beer
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick, toasted
- 3 in of piece of fresh ginger, sliced
Barbecue rub
- 2 tbsp of sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp of flaky sea salt
- 1/2 tbsp of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp garlic granules
Ginger beer sauce
- 280ml of ginger beer
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 3 in of piece of fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 tbsp of maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp of light brown sugar
- 50ml of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 75g of butter, cut into cubes
- 1 tsp cornflour, mixed with 1 tsp water
Equipment
- kettle barbecue
- Wood chips
Method
Begin preparing your ribs by patting them dry with a paper towel. Remove the membrane from the bone side of your ribs by sliding a butter knife under the first rib until the membrane lifts. Using a paper towel, pull the membrane off completely
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade and mix well
- 500ml of ginger beer
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick, toasted
- 3 in of piece of fresh ginger, sliced
In a shallow container or a large zip lock bag, add the prepared ribs and marinade. Marinate for at least 3 hours or ideally overnight for a deeper flavour
Combine all the ingredients for the dry rub and mix well
- 2 tbsp of sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp of flaky sea salt
- 1/2 tbsp of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp garlic granules
After your marinade time, remove the ribs and pat dry with a paper towel. Dust the ribs liberally in your BBQ rub on the meat side and a light sprinkling on the bone side
Preheat your kettle BBQ to 120°C, setting it up for indirect cooking, meaning you have a bank of coals on one side and the ribs on the opposite side (with no coals underneath). Add wood chips or wood chunks if you’d like at this stage
To make the ginger beer glaze, add the ginger beer, the cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves and sliced ginger to a small saucepan. Simmer until reduced by half then add the maple syrup and ground ginger
- 280ml of ginger beer
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 3 in of piece of fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 tbsp of maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground ginger
Next add in the sugar, cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer for a further 10 minutes. Next add the cold butter in chunks and whisk until fully incorporated. Finally thicken slightly with the cornflour slurry and remove from the heat
- 2 tbsp of light brown sugar
- 50ml of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
- 75g of butter, cut into cubes
- 1 tsp cornflour, mixed with 1 tsp water
Continue to cook the ribs indirectly until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 80°C (about 2 hours). Remove the ribs and make a foil parcel with two sheets of foil
Place your butter cubes in a row on the foil, followed by the maple syrup. Lay the ribs, meat side down, on top. Bring up the sides of your foil package and wrap tightly around the ribs, taking care to ensure they don’t pierce it
- 30g of unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp of maple syrup
Place back on the grill for 45 mins to 1 hour. When the internal temperature of the ribs reaches 96-98°C using an instant read thermometer, they’re cooked and ready to glaze with your ginger sauce
When the ribs are ready, carefully open the foil packet and flip them over so they’re now meat-side up (heatproof gloves are handy here!). Brush with a little ginger sauce and pop back on the BBQ to set the glaze for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat. When cooled enough to handle, cut into single bone portions and serve with extra ginger beer glaze sauce on the side
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