Tamarind Chilli Pork Ribs with Garlic and Palm Sugar
These tamarind chilli pork ribs are cooked on the barbecue until tender, then brushed with a sticky glaze of tamarind, garlic, chilli and palm sugar. The flavour is sweet, sour and savoury, giving the pork a bright finish with plenty of depth.
Ingredients
- 2 kg pork ribs membrane removed
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
For the tamarind chilli garlic glaze
- 80 g tamarind paste
- 70 g palm sugar finely chopped or grated
- 4 garlic cloves finely grated
- 2 red chillies finely chopped
- 15 g fresh ginger finely grated
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 80 ml apple juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
Season the ribs
- Pat the ribs dry with kitchen paper and remove the membrane from the back if needed. Mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder, then rub the seasoning all over both sides of the ribs.
Set up the BBQ
- Prepare your BBQ for indirect heat at 150°C to 160°C. Keep one cooler area for the main cook and a slightly hotter area ready for the final glaze setting stage.
Cook the ribs gently first
- Place the ribs bone side down on the indirect side of the grill or in a foil tray. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, keeping the heat steady.
Make the tamarind chilli glaze
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, then cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tamarind paste, palm sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, cider vinegar, tomato purée, apple juice, honey and water. Simmer gently for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring until smooth, glossy and slightly thickened.
Glaze the ribs
- Brush a thin layer of glaze over the ribs and return them to the indirect side of the BBQ. Cook for 15 minutes, then brush with another layer. Repeat once more if needed so the glaze builds gradually and evenly.
Finish the ribs
- Move the ribs a little closer to the hotter side for 5 to 7 minutes so the glaze turns tacky and catches in places. Keep an eye on them, because tamarind glazes can darken quickly once the sugar starts caramelising.
Rest and slice
- Rest the ribs for 10 minutes, then slice between the bones and serve with any extra glaze on the side.
Nutrition
Calories: 785kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 42gFat: 56gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 1085mgPotassium: 790mgFiber: 1.5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 900IUCalcium: 89mgIron: 3.2mg
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