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.
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!!!
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.
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?
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!
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!
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!
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
Too sweet for my taste. I think the honey and hoisin overwhelmed the meat. Not what I expected.
Honestly the âauthentic Chinese flavorsâ line made me laugh a bit but⊠I bet it still tastes great. Chinese five-spice is always a win.
Best ribs I’ve ever made! The glaze was so perfect, I could eat it by itself!
The cooking time was spot on! So excited to find a good ribs recipe!
Iâm skeptical about grilling for that long. Ribs usually need way more fuss to not dry out⊠but turning + basting helps.
Fair pointâ1.5 to 2 hours is a long time for ribs on the grill. But with the honey/hoisin basting, the glaze kind of âlocks inâ moisture and youâre also turning often. Iâve done similar times and they came out tender.
I messed up and my honey burned on the grill đ Also I used too much salt/pepper. Any tips for keeping the glaze from turning bitter?
I don’t know, this seems too complicated for ribs. Can you just bake them?
I made something similar but my glaze never really got stickyâany tips to prevent it from burning? Also, is medium heat 350-ish?
These ribs were a hit at my BBQ! The hoisin adds so much flavor, my friends couldn’t get enough.
Hoisin sauce? Is that really necessary? I was thinking of just using BBQ sauce. Hope it ain’t too sweet!
I’m so glad to hear that! Hoisin really does magic on meats! Can’t wait to try it myself.
Followed it pretty closely and the glaze was nice and sticky. Mine took closer to 2.5 hours though on my grillâworth it.
I tried making these, but the ribs ended up kinda tough. Maybe my grill wasn’t hot enough?
Yesss. Sesame seeds and green onions at the end makes it look restaurant-level. Iâm rating just for that.
I donât like ginger, would it taste bad if I left it out? Asking for a friend.
Isnât hoisin sauce a lilâ too sticky? I didn’t like that. But they looked nice.
Sticky? It’s supposed to be! Thatâs how you get the glaze. But yeah, I get it, too much can be annoying.
I think the stickiness of hoisin sauce is what makes it so good! It gives it flavor and a nice texture. Just my opinion, though!
Best ribs! Even my father who hates everything liked them. Awesome!
Glad to hear that! These ribs truly are a crowd-pleaser. Thanks for sharing your success!
I was skeptical at first, but I followed the recipe to a T and wow! Definitely making this again for sure.
Absolutely delicious! My kids loved them. Will make again.
Just what I needed for my weekend dinner! The kids loved it too. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, these ribs are amazing! So tender and flavorful. Definitely going to make this again!
Ok so âauthentic Chinese flavorsâ is a bit much, but it is tasty. Also I didnt have oyster sauce so I used something elseâstill worked.
5 spice powder?? i accidentally used the wrong thing and it still turned out edible. Not bad, but iâm skeptical itâs really char siu.
I only had regular pork back ribs and honestly they still worked. The sauce caramelized nicely. One thing though: I forgot to add the ginger to the marinade⊠still tasted good, but not as âchar siuâ as I expected.
1.5 to 2 hours on the grill feels like a lot for baby back ribs⊠I might be wrong though. What temp do you grill at?
5 stars!! so delish.
Made these last weekend and omg the glaze is sticky-sweet in the best way. The five-spice really comes through. I marinated overnight and they were super tender after 2 hours.
These ribs take a long time to cook! đ© But they were worth it in the end.
Totally agree! The wait is tough, but those ribs are to die for! đ
I donât know about cooking ribs on the grill for that long. Mine got burnt and tough. Iâll stick to the oven next time.
Good recipe, but I think next time I’ll add more ginger and skip the sesame seeds. Yum yum!
Ribs good, but recipe long. Why so many steps? Just grill and eat!
Pretty good, but 1.5â2 hours felt a little optimistic on my grill. I ended up closer to 2.5 hours and basted a lot near the end. Next time Iâll keep an eye on internal temp.
YUM! Made these for the game day and everyone went crazy for them. Will definitely make again!
Iâm skeptical about using the same marinade for bastingâdoesnât that risk cross-contamination? I usually boil it first, but your recipe doesnât say.
Whatâs the point of marinating? Iâm sure theyâd be good without that. -1 for time.
I think itâs fine without marinating too. Just slap it on the grill. Who has time, right?
Marinating is key! It makes the meat super tender and flavorful. Try it, you wonât regret it!
My marinade kinda separated and looked weird, like oily. Still tasted good, but I think I shouldâve mixed longer or let it sit.
Can I just use teriyaki sauce instead of hoisin? I don’t have any hoisin.