Gochujang BBQ Ribs With Peanuts and Scallions Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Joseph Lenn

Adapted by Jane Black

Gochujang BBQ Ribs With Peanuts and Scallions Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 4 hours, plus overnight seasoning
Rating
4(444)
Notes
Read community notes

The simplest dishes are the hardest to get right, and barbecue ribs are no exception. That is why the chef Joseph Lenn, of J.C. Holdway in Knoxville, Tenn., always quick-cures the ribs with an overnight rub of salt, black pepper and brown sugar. This ensures the meat is seasoned evenly throughout, and is something he recommends for any slow-cooked or braised meat. Mr. Lenn’s mop sauce, a homage to the Dixie Sweet sauce at Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville, is fired up with gochujang, a Korean chile paste. It works equally well on bone-in chicken breasts and wings. —Jane Black

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

    For the Ribs and Rub

    • 3racks St. Louis-style spareribs (2½ pounds each)
    • ½cup kosher salt
    • ½cup packed light brown sugar
    • ¼cup ground black pepper

    For the Gochujang Barbecue Sauce

    • ½cup gochujang
    • cups apple cider vinegar
    • ½cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½teaspoon chile powder, such as ancho
    • ¼teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1teaspoon smoked paprika

    For Garnish

    • 1cup chopped peanuts
    • 1cup sliced scallions

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

1444 calories; 110 grams fat; 33 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 41 grams monounsaturated fat; 20 grams polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 29 grams sugars; 74 grams protein; 1278 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Gochujang BBQ Ribs With Peanuts and Scallions Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    The day before you plan to cook the ribs, use a paper towel to help you pull the silver skin off the backside of the ribs. Combine salt, light brown sugar and black pepper to make a rub, then generously season ribs with the rub on both sides. (You may have some rub left over.) Place on a rimmed baking sheet, wrap in plastic, put in the refrigerator, and let sit overnight.

  2. Step

    2

    For the sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk until brown sugar is dissolved. (You can use a hand mixer if you'd like.)

  3. The next day, prepare a charcoal grill (preferably a kamado, the egg-shaped ceramic grill) and warm it to 225 to 250 degrees. If your grill doesn't have a thermometer, use an oven thermometer to try to keep the temperature consistent. (See note.) Place ribs on a rack so they are not sitting directly on the grate. Cook 3 to 3½ hours, turning and basting ribs with barbecue sauce every hour.

  4. Step

    4

    Glaze the ribs with the sauce once more before serving. Cut the ribs and then sprinkle with peanuts and scallions and serve.

Tip

  • Coals burn hotter and faster with more oxygen, so use your grill’s vents to slow, but not stop, the amount of oxygen coming in to keep the temperature down. To keep the fire going, you can add unlit coals directly to the lit fire; it takes about 15 minutes for new coals to come up to temperature.

Ratings

4

out of 5

444

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

rah

Can this recipe be prepared in an oven? If so, what temperature and how long should they cook?

nate

Rah, you can certainly prepare these in an oven. Just follow the recipe exactly they will turn out just as they would on a bbq without the smoke flavor. If anything, IMHO, the recipe should probably call for setting up the grill with indirect heat so the sugars in the sauce won't burn. I have cooked a lot of ribs in smokers, on grills, and in the oven. 225 deg.f = perfect.

BTW, when the rib bones start to stick out of the ends of the meat you're close to done.

Min.

I'd wrap the ribs in foil to roast in the oven at 250 to 300, basted with a little sauce. Cook 2 hours. Check doneness by twisting the ribs a bit to see that the meat is tender but not too soft. Baste with sauce and return to oven opened up. I'd probably broil them to get a bit of char at the end.

Jason

I agree, but only if they have a meat variation for their vegetarian recipes.

eml16

This is good! I made it in the oven, wrapped in foil, baked at 300 for about 90 minutes and then at about 370 (this is 150 C and 190 C for those, like me, living in the metric world), for the last 30 minutes. The last 30 minutes it was uncovered. This had a bit of char but the ribs were soft and juicy - perhaps not your thing, but nice. I sprinkled the ribs with roasted Sichuan Peppercorns instead of peanuts - yummy!

Dean

Note to all the comments about this being too salty - I would agree if the salty/sugar curing was to be left on. There is a whole section left out of this recipe about the curing (salt, pepper, brown sugar) overnight, THEN washing all that off, THEN drying and THEN leaving it uncovered in the fridge for another 6-8 hours. After that these ribs are ready for the fantastic gochujang basting and the smoker/BBQ. These are some of the tastiest ribs I have ever made. And they were not too salty.

Mark

Saint Louis cut of ribs is actually vegetarian. It's an heirloom variety of ribs with the meat part genetically bred out of the ribs.

John

I'm dead serious: What part of the pumpkin is considered the tenderloin? I googled "tenderloin of pumpkin" and came up empty.

Mark B

Made these ribs on a kamado grill and followed the recipe exactly. They were the best ribs I've ever had. Do not skip the peanuts and scallions, they add a wonderful flavor and texture to the meat.

Golem18

Seems to me that if you want to know how the BBQ sauce would work on a cauliflower steak or a tender loin of pumpkin, or skirt steak of pumpkin or a pumpkin rib steak or a New York pumpkin sirloin, or a flap steak of pumpkin, or a pumpkin flat iron steak, you should just try it.

Paige

(1/2) Report on the chicken thighs & comment on others' comments RE: "too salty"I came to realize quickly that the above rub is in fact a dry brine. The step missing is to rinse or soak it off prior to prepping the meat for grilling. (I always brine poultry so I recognized the condition of the thighs changing right away.) When you remove them from the fridge (an hour prior to cooking), drain excess moisture that has accumilated.

Kevin

St. Louis style are always pork.

will boswell

Disgusting!

So much salt I thought I would die.

The NYT needs to do more to vet these recipes.

My dog scoffed at the bones.

Horrible recipe

AHubby

My pop's method for making ribs in the oven: Pre-heat oven to 250F. Wrap ribs in foil and place in oven on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in the center of the oven and cook for 2 hours. Unwrap ribs, return them to the wire rack/baking sheet and cook for another 1 to 2 hours. Cooking time depends on the ribs and oven. Finish, meat side up, basted with sauce, under the broiler for 5-10 minutes.

Dad was from Texas but we grew up in Chicago. He never used liquid smoke but you can!

ArtSpring

Cooked this following the recipe exactly w/ St. Louis ribs this weekend. Kept the temp between 200-250 deg for 3.5 hours. they turned out great. My wife, who rarely eats meat, even ate three ribs. The only deviation was using my own dried chilies, rather than the store-bought stuff that you shake on pizza- mine has dried habaneros, cayennes, and scotch bonnets and they added a fiery touch.
Loin of pumpkin? I almost spit tea all over my monitor reading that. Does one have to de-bone them first?

Gaily Tucson

Cooked, the sauce is much less spicy than in the bowl, though I omitted crushed red pepper due to having hotter than Ancho NewMexico red. The brine rub/rinse is the method I'll use for spareribs whether dry rubbed or sauced. 0ven 275, last 2 of 4 hours opened and basted. Tender but not mushy sticky good.

Great But Cut The Salt

Delicious and the BEST ribs we've ever had at home. After reading reviews I cut the salt significantly (quarter tsp per pound ended up being around 6 tsp for 2 racks), added additional sugar/maple and thickened the sauce with a tablespoon cornstarch as slurry.

Diane M.

The sauce is so flavorful and simple to put together. I do recommend seasoning the ribs with an all purpose seasoning to add a bit more flavor then just salt and pepper.

Tarah

I see lots of comments referring to the recipe being too salty. May I offer a few suggestions?Overnight salt rubs can get too salty quickly, so maybe only salt your ribs for a few hours before, or maybe morning of as opposed to that evening before? Also, I hope people realize this is a salt rub for 7 1/2 pounds of ribs. You're talking about 1/2 cup of salt to 7.5 lbs. It also calls for Kosher salt, which is less salty because you can fit less of it into a cup than iodized. We loved it.

Curtis

This would have been delicious if not for the extreme amount of salt that made the dish nearly inedible.

Deb

Decided to use both pork and beef ribs. Baked them in the oven at 300 for 2 hours, turning and basting with the BBQ sauce, prepared as written, half way. Then broiled them briefly to get a char. Served with the chopped scallions and peanuts. Delicious, but I think grilling would have been even better. And for the record, the beef ribs were tastier.

Laura Blutstein

Wow. This was excellent. Didn't have time to do the first step for >4 or 5 hrs, (ribs and rub), then all went into the InstaPot along with the barbecue sauce recipe and +/- an additional cup 1/2 c. water. Cooked X 46 min w/ slow-release pressure, and it was falling off the bone. Reheated it after arriving next day at friends house, put it on the grill in a large cast iron skillet (it was already falling off the bone), added gravy, garnishes: it was a huge hit! Will rpt again! 7-16-20(Used 5.5#)

Mary Ann Frank

These ribs were sensational main course for our July 4th picnic. Held back on the salt a bit in the overnight rub, started them today in the oven on low heat for an hour, and then grilled on the Weber for two hours at 300 degrees, basting frequently. Reduced the remaining sauce a smidge, and added a glug of catsup, for the table. Served with an herbed potato salad, green salad and guacomole, and every last rib was picked clean!

Liz

What would the cooking time in a 200-225 F oven be for baby backs instead of St. Louis style?

Lee-Lee

My sauce came out very thin. I feel like I missed something.

Paul Woolf

Too salty even though rinsed first

lindsayte

I too found these too salty. And for reference, I really like salt. I did remove the rub before cooking (a step implied but not explicitly stated in the directions, thanks Dan!). I thought the sauce was tasty, but my partner wished it was sweeter. I would make again but maybe halve the salt in the rub. Hope this feedback helps other cooks.

David

Do not use the little thermometer in the lid of your grill - it's nowhere near accurate enough. Use an oven or grill thermometer. The ideal is a thermometer that sits on the racks next to the ribs and that has an external readout, so you don't have to open the grill to check the temperature.

Maxine

Is the gochujang the paste or the sauce?

Jay

Sounds like a great dish, but I don't understand this step: "Place ribs on a rack so they are not sitting directly on the grate." What is a rack?

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Gochujang BBQ Ribs With Peanuts and Scallions Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What to serve with gochujang ribs? ›

  1. Kimchi. Kimchi is a classic Korean side dish made from fermented vegetables, usually cabbage, and seasoned with chili pepper, garlic, and ginger. ...
  2. Steamed Rice. ...
  3. Steamed Dumplings. ...
  4. Butternut Squash. ...
  5. Mashed Sweet Potato. ...
  6. Broccoli. ...
  7. Japchae. ...
  8. Radish Chips.
May 2, 2023

Should I put BBQ sauce on ribs before cooking? ›

You will want to add barbecue sauce to your ribs during the final 20-30 minutes of cooking. While brushing on sauce just remember, don't drown your ribs. If you are like me and love more sauce, there is no reason you can't serve even more on the side.

Do you put BBQ sauce on both sides of ribs? ›

Place the ribs meat side down in the base add a layer of bbq sauce on top and wrap it up long side, then both short sides, then finish with the other long side.

What can I put on ribs instead of BBQ sauce? ›

Fruit-based sauces are a great option for people looking to cut down the acid content in tomato base sauces like the BBQ. These sauces use fruits like pineapples, mangos, apricots, apples, and even peaches to enhance the taste while doing away with the need to add granulated sugar.

What pairs well with Korean ribs? ›

What to Serve with Korean Marinated Short Ribs
  • Beef Bulgogi.
  • Spicy Pork Bulgogi.
  • Korean Cucumber Salad.
  • Korean Bean Sprout Side Dish.
  • Korean Spinach Salad.
Jul 15, 2023

What does gochujang taste good with? ›

On its own, gochujang is quite pungent, so it's usually mixed with other ingredients to balance its intensity. In Korea, it's typically stirred into marinades for meat, stews, and stir-fries, or cut with vinegar or oil so it can be served as a sauce. You'll also find it on Korean fried chicken.

Is it better to marinate or dry rub ribs? ›

While a dry rub adds flavour and crust to your protein, a marinade adds taste and tenderness to the meat. This happens because of the liquid's ability to move within the cell walls of the protein and break them down while delivering taste to the meat.

Why do you rinse ribs before cooking? ›

While washing meat and poultry to remove dirt, slime, fat or blood may have been appropriate decades ago when many slaughtered and prepared their own food, the modern food safety system doesn't require it. Meat and poultry are cleaned during processing, so further washing is not necessary.

Should I cook ribs bone side up or down? ›

Place ribs bone-side down in smoker at 225 F /110 C and cook for three hours. Remove ribs from the smoker and wrap tightly in aluminum foil to form an airtight seal. Return to the smoker bone-side up and smoke for two hours. Unwrap the ribs and return to the smoker bone-side down for one more hour.

What happens if you put barbecue sauce on ribs before baking? ›

The BBQ sauce should be added after the ribs are done cooking. If you really want to cook the ribs with the sauce, add it at the 10-15 minutes of cooking to keep it from burning. Usually there is sugar in BBQ that will burn at a high heat.

Do you put ribs meat side up or down in foil? ›

Place the ribs meat side down on the foil and wrap tightly. 7 – Put the ribs wrapped in foil back on the grill and increase the grill temperature to 250 degrees for 1 hour. 8 – The wrapped ribs go meat side down onto the grill. 9 – After 1 hour, gently pick up one end of the ribs.

What does vinegar do for ribs? ›

Do not rinse this solution off the ribs before cooking. The trick is so good, she says, she sometimes does it even with really fresh, beautiful ribs. Essentially, the vinegar solution "cleanses" the meat and makes the flavors shine through without any "gamey" flavor.

How do you spread BBQ sauce on ribs? ›

Don't cook them over a hot grill. No, otherwise the sugars in the sauce will burn during cooking. If you want sauce on the ribs, brush it on during the final 15–20 minutes, doing a light coating a few times during that time. Or, simply serve the sauce on the side for those who want it.

What is served with Korean barbecue? ›

Lettuce or perilla leaves. Garnishes like sliced garlic, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds. Banchan (small side dishes). Types of banchan include kimchi, marinated veggies, spicy cucumbers, bean sprouts, and sautéed spinach.

What veggies go with Korean barbecue? ›

Korean BBQ night starts with a variety of side dishes, or banchan. To start, I always have Kimchi. For today's dinner, I'm also making 4 different types of other banchon: Korean Spinach Salad, Spicy Bean Sprouts, Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad, and Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad.

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