Sticky Jerk Spiced Pork Ribs with Allspice and Honey
These jerk spiced pork ribs are cooked on the barbecue until tender, then finished with a sticky glaze of allspice, honey, thyme and chilli. The flavour is warm, fragrant and savoury, giving the pork a rich finish with gentle lingering heat.
Ingredients
- 2 kg pork ribs membrane removed
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
For the jerk allspice honey marinade and glaze
- 2 tbsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 red chillies finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves finely grated
- 4 spring onions finely sliced
- 20 g fresh ginger finely grated
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp lime zest
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 60 ml orange juice
- 2 tbsp water
For finishing
- 1 tbsp chopped spring onions
- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
Prepare the ribs
- Pat the ribs dry with kitchen paper and remove the membrane from the back if needed. Season both sides with the salt and black pepper.
Make the jerk marinade
- In a bowl, mix the allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, smoked paprika, chopped chillies, garlic, spring onions, ginger, dark soy sauce, lime juice, lime zest, cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, dark brown sugar, tomato purée, orange juice and water. Stir until well combined. If you prefer a smoother glaze later, blend the mixture briefly.
Coat the ribs
- Rub about two thirds of the marinade all over the ribs, coating both sides well. Reserve the remaining third for basting later. Leave the ribs to sit for 20 to 30 minutes while you light the BBQ.
Set up the BBQ
- Prepare your BBQ for indirect heat at 150°C to 160°C. Keep one side cooler for the main cook and a slightly hotter area for setting the glaze at the end.
Cook the ribs
- Place the ribs bone side down in a foil tray or on the indirect side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. After 45 minutes, brush or spoon over a little of the reserved marinade.
Build the glaze
- Brush on another light layer of the reserved marinade and cook for 15 minutes more over indirect heat. Repeat once if needed so the coating builds gradually rather than sitting thick and wet on the surface.
Finish over slightly higher heat
- Move the ribs a little closer to the hotter side for 5 to 7 minutes so the glaze tightens and the edges pick up a bit of char. Watch carefully because honey catches quickly once it starts caramelising.
Notes
Allspice is the backbone here, so it’s worth using a fresh jar if yours has been lurking in the cupboard since some vague winter baking phase. It should smell warm and peppery, not dusty and tired. Ground cinnamon and nutmeg are supporting players, not the main act. They round the spice mix out, though too much can make the ribs taste more sweet than savoury, which isn’t what I want.
Honey and dark brown sugar both have a role. The honey gives gloss and a soft floral sweetness, while the sugar adds a deeper caramel note that helps the glaze hold its shape. Fresh thyme is lovely if you’ve got it, but dried thyme works very well here and is easier to blend into the marinade. I use dark soy sauce for depth rather than sheer saltiness, which suits the warm spices nicely.
Nutrition
Calories: 790kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 42gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 1015mgPotassium: 800mgFiber: 1.9gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 950IUCalcium: 95mgIron: 3.4mg
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