Hoisin-glazed Char Siu pork ribs are a delicious fusion of tender, smoky, and sweet flavors. Inspired by the classic Cantonese Char Siu pork, this dish transforms meaty ribs into a melt-in-your-mouth experience, with a sticky hoisin glaze thatâs savory, sweet, and full of umami. The glaze is the key to giving the ribs that irresistible glossy finish, while the slow-cooked pork becomes incredibly tender, making each bite a flavorful adventure.
The process starts with marinating the ribs in a mixture of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Chinese five spice powder, honey, garlic, and a touch of rice vinegar. This marinade infuses the meat with deep flavor, and the sugar content in the hoisin and honey helps achieve that signature caramelization when cooking. To enhance the traditional Char Siu flavor, you can also add a bit of red food coloring, which gives the ribs that classic red hue often seen in Char Siu pork.
After marinating for a few hours (or overnight for maximum flavor), the ribs are slow-cooked, either by baking or grilling. The low and slow method ensures the meat becomes tender, juicy, and full of flavor, while the glaze turns sticky and beautifully caramelized. A final brush of the hoisin glaze during the last few minutes of cooking helps to deepen the flavor and achieve that perfect finish.
Hoisin-glazed Char Siu pork ribs are best served with a side of steamed rice or Asian-style slaw to balance the richness of the pork. You can garnish with chopped scallions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of extra hoisin sauce for an added burst of flavor. The ribs are perfect for a family dinner, BBQs, or any special occasion where you want to impress guests with a dish thatâs both impressive and incredibly tasty.
These ribs deliver on all fronts, tender meat, smoky flavors, and a beautifully sticky, sweet glaze. The combination of savory, sweet, and aromatic elements makes Hoisin-glazed Char Siu pork ribs a standout dish thatâs sure to become a favorite at your dinner table. Whether you’re grilling them outside or cooking them in the oven, theyâll leave everyone craving more.

Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork ribs St. Louis-style or baby back
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Green onions sliced, for garnish
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, minced garlic, and minced ginger to create the marinade.
- Season the pork ribs with salt and pepper, then coat them with the marinade. Allow them to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavor.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Grill the marinated pork ribs for about 1.5 to 2 hours, turning occasionally, until they are tender and cooked through. Baste with additional marinade during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- During the last 10 minutes of grilling, brush the ribs with more of the marinade for extra glaze.
- Once cooked, remove the ribs from the grill and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Slice the Hoisin-Glazed Char Siu Pork Ribs between the bones and arrange them on a serving platter.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve the flavorful and tender ribs as a delicious lunch option during your weekend culinary adventure!
- Savor the authentic Chinese flavors with these irresistible pork ribs!
For reals, this is the best rib recpie I’ve tried! My fam loves it!
Pork ribs are usually too fatty, kinda turned me off. But these were really flavorful.
So good! But what is char siu? I thought it was just pork?
Tried this recipe last night. The ribs were so tough! I followed the instructions but what went wrong? Disappointed.
What the heck is hoisin sauce? Can I use barbeque sauce instead??
Hoisin sauce is like a sweet soy sauce! Barbecue sauce is good but it won’t taste the same. You might miss out on the authentic flavor.
I dunno what hoisin sauce is either! Just use BBQ, it’ll work fine I think.
These sound dangerously good. Hoisin + five-spice is my weakness. Iâd probably marinate overnight like you saidâflavor city.
Holy moly, best thing I ever grilled! The hoisin sauce gives it a sweet taste.
Excellent flavors, but I forgot to baste! Still turned out pretty good, next time will be better.
I tried making these ribs but they ended up really dry. Maybe I overcooked them? Not sure if Iâll try again.
My uncle makes better ribs than this, sorry!
Honestly, uncle’s ribs are probably good but have you tried this marinade? It could surprise you!
Ribs is ribs, man. It’s all about the love you put into cookin’! No need to compare.
Yum! Made these for a BBQ and they were gone in minutes. The garlic and ginger really make it pop!
Ugh, my ribs burned! I guess I turned the heat up too high. Never grilling again.
Oh no! That’s a bummer! Maybe try lower heat next time? Ribs are the best when done right!
Grilling can be tricky! But itâs not all bad, just give it another shot! đ
These ribs are amazing! So tender and full of flavor.
The recipe feels authentic-ish, but hoisin + honey can burn on a grill if your heat runs hot. I had to foil them for part of the time so it wouldnât get too dark.
I was skeptical about the honey. Seems too sweet. But wow, it balanced perfectly with the hoisin!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! The honey really does add a nice layer of flavor. It’s all about balance! đ
These ribs are AMAZING! Taste just like the ones I had at that Chinese place downtown. Will definitely make again!
I totally agree! These ribs are lip-smacking good! Can’t believe how easy they are to make too.
These ribs were incredible! The hoisin glaze made them taste so good. My whole family loved it!
YUM!!! Best ribs Iâve ever made! My whole family loved them, I’m a BBQ master now!
I followed the recipe step by step, but mine turned out really dry. What did I do wrong?
I accidentally used beef ribs. Guess what? Still delicious! đ
These ribs were a huge hit at my BBQ! The hoisin glaze is Delicious!!!
Grilled for 2 hours and it was… kinda dry. Maybe I shouldâve basted more earlier? Also the instructions say rest for a few minutes, and I only did like 30 seconds lol.
Does anyone know if I can use BBQ sauce instead of hoisin? I don’t have any.
Not bad! The flavors are there, but mine was a little too sweet from the honey. Next time Iâll cut it down 1 tbsp.
My kids donât like âfive spiceâ (they think it tastes like perfume lol). But the marinade looks balancedâmaybe Iâll half it.
Not sure about the 3 lbs partâmine fed like 2 people đ Also, baby back ribs are way more expensive where I live. Flavor was good though, would do again with St. Louis style.
3 lbs feeding âxâ people feels off đ Mine was more like 2 meals, tops. Still super tasty thoughâhoisin glaze is legit.
âBaby backâ and âSt. Louisâ arenât the same cuts. I used baby backs and they took way longer than 2 hours. Flavor still good, but timing needs adjusting.
I followed the recipe but the ribs turned out tough. Maybe I didnât marinate long enough? Iâm not sure. đ
Why use hoisin sauce? Just use BBQ sauce itâs way better! đ
I followed the recipe, but the ribs turned out tough. I think I cooked them too long. Not sure if Iâll try again.
Not gonna lie, Iâm skeptical of leaving it on the grill that long with honey in it⊠but it came out caramelized and not burned. I watched it like a hawk in the last 30 minutes.
I added some chili flakes for a kick. So good! A bit too sweet for my taste, but still yummy.
Chili flakes sound like a great addition! I might try that next time. I like sweet stuff, but I get what you mean about the sweetness. What brand of hoisin do you use?
Pretty solid recipe, but 1.5 to 2 hours on medium heat felt a bit optimistic for my grill. I had to go closer to 2.5 hours to get them really tender. Still delicious though.
I followed it and mine took forever too đ Next time Iâll crank it slightly and foil them for a bit. Hoisin glaze was still bomb though!
Good catchâgrills really vary. Iâve also had to creep closer to 2.5 hours on medium to get that tender bite. Glad they were still delicious!
Made these for the weekend and they turned out sticky-sweet and super flavorful. The five-spice plus ginger is such a good combo. I marinated overnightâworth it!
I marinated overnight and the flavor was way deeper than 1 hour. I also basted a little more during the last 30 mins and the glaze looked legitâkinda sticky in a good way.
Never made anything like this before. It was ok, but I don’t think I’ll use so much honey next time.
Not gonna lie, this reads like it wants to be authentic but itâs basically hoisin BBQ sauce on ribs. Itâs tasty, just call it what it is. Five spice is kinda strong too if youâre sensitive.
Can I use chicken instead of pork? Not sure if the marinade will work. Can’t wait to try it though!
Yeah, I think you forgot to mention how long to grill them…
Nah, I think itâs self-explanatory. Just grill until they look done. I mean, how hard can it be? đ€·ââïž
Thanks for pointing that out! I guess it’s easy to forget details when you’re excited about a recipe. Maybe Iâll just start the timer for 2 hours to be safe?
This recipe was fantastic! The ribs were so tender and packed with flavor. My family loved them!
I tried this and the ribs were chewy. I think I undercooked themâalso my marinade got too thick so basting was a mess. Still tasty, just not fall-off-the-bone.
The combo of hoisin + five spice is such a vibe. I didnât have oyster sauce so I subbed a little more soy and it was still good, just less ârestaurantâ tasting.
Iâm skeptical about the âauthenticâ claim⊠char siu usually has different steps (and sometimes liquid smoke). But flavor-wise, this is still great and easy.
Pretty good, but 1.5â2 hours on medium heat took me longer with thicker baby back ribs. Iâd suggest checking tenderness rather than relying only on the clock.
Medium heat made mine take forever đ I thought 1.5â2 hours was set in stone. Next time Iâm definitely gonna trust the thermometer/feel test instead of the clock. Also, I marinated overnight and it was way better.
Totally agreeâtime is a suggestion, ribs thickness is everything. I did baby backs too and they took closer to 2.5 hours before they were tender when I bent the bone. Checking tenderness saved me from overcooking.
Why do you salt âto tasteâ when you already have soy sauce? I guessed and it ended up a bit salty for my taste. Still ate it all, but Iâll cut back next run.
These ribs are a hit! I substituted the soy sauce with tamari for gluten-free, and it was still delicious.
I donât know, is tamari really that much different? Can you taste the difference?
Glad to hear it! Tamari is a great swap. I love when people get creative with recipes!
Needs more garlic and more ginger. Like, the measurements are too small for me lol. Also the instructions are kinda longâcould be shorter.
I tried it with chicken since I didn’t have ribs… still turned out pretty good!
Wow, restaurant-level vibes. The marinade smelled so strong (in a good way) and the char made it perfect.
Totally agreeâthose hoisin + five spice aromas are unreal. I also love when the edges get that sticky char. Did you marinate overnight or just the 1 hour?
Why does it call for oyster sauce? I donât eat shellfish! Can I substitute? Just curious.
I donât know what hoisin sauce is… but these ribs look pretty good. I might just wing it with BBQ sauce.
Not sure about the honey amount with hoisin and soy. Seems a little sweet? Still, Iâll try it because char siu is legit.
These ribs are out of this world! The marinade brings such a rich flavor. Definitely a hit with my family.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! The marinade really makes a difference. Can’t wait to try it myself!
Not gonna lie, I forgot to rest them and cut right away. They were still good but juices ran out and it was messier. The flavor saved it.
Seems delicious but I was nervous about grilling that long without burning. I ended up keeping the heat more like low-medium and saved some marinade to basteâworked great.
That sounds perfectâlow-medium + saving marinade for basting is exactly how you avoid burning. I bet the glaze came out awesome!
These ribs were amazing! So tender and full of flavor. My family loved them!
Too many steps! Can’t I just dump sauce on some meat and call it a day?
The five spice powder messed me up at the store. Couldn’t find it anywhere!
Easy to make but I think it needs more spice. I didn’t really taste the five spice much. đ€·ââïž
Didnât work for me. Hoisin tastes too strong and the garlic/ginger overwhelmed it. Also my grill smoke made it bitter, idk.
Too sweet for my taste. I think the honey and hoisin overwhelmed the meat. Not what I expected.