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Char Sui Back Ribs with Crushed Peanuts

Char Sui Back Ribs with Crushed Peanuts

5 from 1 vote
These Char Sui Back Ribs feature baby back ribs smoked low and slow, lacquered with a char sui glaze, and covered with crushed peanuts, fresh cucumber, cilantro, and shallots.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Dry Brining Time 12 hours
Servings: 2
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 rack baby back pork ribs silver skin removed
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp Shoaxing wine
  • 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
  • 1 tbsp five spice powder
  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3-4 drop red food coloring optional
  • ¼ cup peanuts roasted and salted
  • 1 mini cucumber thinly sliced
  • 1 shallot thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro tightly packed

Equipment

  • 1 charcoal grill optional **
  • 1 spray bottle

Method
 

  1. Place a cooling rack inside a small baking sheet. Position the ribs on top of the cooling rack and set them aside.
    1 rack baby back pork ribs
  2. In a small bowl whisk to combine the salt, sugar, and five spice powder. Rub the mixture all over the ribs and transfer them to the fridge. Let rest uncovered for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. *** Take the ribs out of the fridge 1 hour prior to cooking.
    1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp five spice powder
  3. Once you take the ribs out of the fridge, either preheat your oven to 275°F or heat your charcoal grill to around the same temperature. Organize your coals in a basket on one side of the grill.
  4. Once your oven is up, place the ribs in the oven on the cooling rack/baking sheet rig you used to dry brine the ribs. If you're using a charcoal grill place the ribs directly on the grill on the opposite side of the coals. Cook the ribs for 1 hour.
  5. Pour the vinegar and wine into a spray bottle and shake. Mist the ribs every 15 minutes over the next hour.
    2 tbsp Shoaxing wine, 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar
  6. When the ribs have about 15 minutes left in their 2-hour and 30-minute cook time, place the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, and red food coloring in a bowl. Whisk to combine and brush it on both sides of the ribs. Cook for the remaining 15 minutes.
    ¼ cup hoisin sauce, ¼ cup honey, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3-4 drop red food coloring
  7. Take the ribs off of the heat and tent them in foil. Let rest for 15-30 minutes prior to serving.
  8. While the ribs are resting place the peanuts in a food processor and blitz until they are pulverized. ****
    ¼ cup peanuts
  9. Slice the ribs into four pieces and garnish with the peanuts, cucumber, shallot, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.
    ¼ cup peanuts, 1 mini cucumber, 1 shallot, ¼ cup fresh cilantro

Notes

** If you don't have a charcoal grill, you can make these ribs on a gas grill or in a low 275°F oven. The cook time remains the same. 
*** If you can spare the time, it is better to let your ribs rest in the dry brine overnight. 
**** If you don't have a food processor, you can place the nuts in a resealable bag and whack them with a mallet.