Easy Sweet and Sour Spareribs (Sweet and Sour Ribs) recipe has pork spare ribs covered in homemade sweet and sour sauce baked slowly and broiled in your oven.
This was inspired by my oven baked beef ribs and my Air Fryer Short Ribs on this site, and pairs well with this amazing side dish recipes.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- The sweet and sour sauce is perfect blend of tangy and sweet and can be easily adjusted to suit your personal tastes.
- Enjoy incredibly tender and fall-off-the-bone ribs with this easy recipe that uses common ingredients.
- The perfect dish for birthdays, holidays, or dinner parties.
Ingredients in Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
To make these amazing ribs you have to decide which kind of pork ribs you want to buy. Here is a quick overview and if you're interested you can find more detailed information here.
- Pork Ribs - Spare ribs or baby back ribs have a good balance of meat and fat, leading to a tender and flavorful result. St. Louis Style Ribs and Country Style Pork Ribs are also an option.
- Brown Sugar - Use granulated sugar instead.
- Molasses - Use honey, corn syrup or maple syrup instead for a different taste.
- White Vinegar - Necessary for flavor but you can use apple cider vinegar instead for a slightly different flavor.
- Broth - Chicken or Vegetable work the best.
- Soy Sauce - Tamari will work in a pinch if necessary.
- Cornstarch - Use all purpose flour to thicken instead.
- Garlic Powder - Garlic flakes or granulated garlic will work in a pinch.
- Salt and Pepper - Necessary for flavor.
Garnish
- green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Substitutions and Variations
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this sweet and sour ribs recipe.
- Spicy - Add a bit of chili pepper flakes, homemade hot pepper sauce, our jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder to the sauce mixture for a bit of heat.
- Add Fruit - Add pineapple or lychees for different flavor.
How to make Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
Preheat your oven to broil. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and place spare rib racks on top.
Place spare ribs under your broiler and brown your ribs for between 7 and 10 minutes. Ribs should be nice and brown on top before you reduce the temperature. Pour off excess grease if needed.
In the meantime, in a small saucepan, bring 1 ¾ cups combine broth, molasses, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic powder to a boil.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine remaining broth and cornstarch in a small cup. Add to boiling mixture and stir to thicken.
Pour, brush or paint over top of your spare ribs.
Cook at 375 degrees for 60-75 minutes, or fork tender.
Baste ribs periodically with remaining sauce as often as you desire. Two or three times is more than enough.
Broil for a moment or two before removing ribs from the oven.
Caramelizing the sauce on your ribs with harden the sauce and add an amazing finish to these ribs.
Garnish your dish with fresh green onions or sesame seeds, if desired.
Serve hot and enjoy!
Hint:
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our smoked st. louis style ribs or our Slow Cooker Pork Riblets recipe.
Storage
Store leftover sweet and sour ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze
Allow the ribs to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container or resealable freezer bags for up to 3 months. Be sure to remove any excess air from the bag to avoid freezer burn.
Reheat
For refrigerated ribs, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, and heat for 10-15 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). If you have frozen ribs, let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before following the same reheating steps.
Alternatively, you can reheat your ribs in a microwave on a microwave-safe plate. Use a medium heat setting, and heat for 2-3 minutes, checking for even heating and stirring the sauce as needed.
What to Serve with Sweet and Sour Ribs
- Check out our post on what to serve with short ribs for some great ideas. I refer to it myself when needed.
- Sweet and sour ribs pair nicely with steamed white rice, fried rice, or noodles. Add a side of stir-fried vegetables, slow cooker corn on the cob or a simple green salad for a complete meal.
Tips
When preparing sweet and sour ribs, follow these tips to achieve the best flavor and presentation possible.
- Choose the meatiest spare ribs or baby back ribs you can find.
- Broil the ribs before cooking to seal in the juices and add flavor.
- Taste sauce as you make it and adjust flavor as desired.
- Use cornstarch or flour to thicken it as necessary. Mix in bowl and add gradually while continuously stirring to avoid lumps.
- Ask your butcher to remove the membrane and clean up and trim your ribs or do it yourself for best results.
FAQ
Do you have questions about Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about them.
Yes, you can. Place the cut ribs and sauce ingredients in the slow cooker, cooking on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the ribs are tender.
To achieve a thick, glossy sauce, add a mixture of cornstarch and water during the cooking process. Stir continuously until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Video
Best Rib Recipes to Try
Do you like ribs? Here some recipes you may also like to try.
Easy Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Easy Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs (Sweet and Sour Ribs)
Equipment
- serrated bread knife for cutting ribs
Ingredients
- 4 racks pork spare ribs, back or side
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 2 cups broth, chicken or vegetable, divided
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Garnish
- green onions
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to broil. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and place spare rib racks on top.
- Place spare ribs under your broiler and brown your ribs for between 7 and 10 minutes. Ribs should be nice and brown on top before you reduce the temperature. Pour off excess grease if needed. Make sure you're about 5 inches from broiler.
- In the meantime, in a small saucepan, bring 1 ¾ cups combine broth, molasses, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic powder to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine remaining broth and cornstarch in a small cup.
- Add to boiling mixture and stir to thicken.
- Pour, brush or paint over top of your spareribs. Do not drip on baking sheet.
- Cook at 375 degrees for 60-75 minutes, or fork tender.
- Baste ribs periodically with remaining sauce as often as you desire. Two or three times is more than enough.
- Broil for a moment or two before removing ribs from the oven. Caramelizing the sauce on your ribs with harden the sauce and add an amazing finish to these ribs. Remember to be about 5 inches from broiler.
- Serve hot. Garnish your dish with fresh green onions or sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
- Choose the meatiest spare ribs or baby back ribs you can find.
- Broil the ribs before cooking to seal in the juices and add flavor but make sure ribs are 5 inches from broiler.
- Make sure sauce is only on ribs and not on pan to prevent smoking from broiler.
- Taste sauce as you make it and adjust flavor as desired.
- Use cornstarch or flour to thicken it as necessary. Mix in bowl and add gradually while continuously stirring to avoid lumps.
- Ask your butcher to remove the membrane and clean up and trim your ribs or do it yourself for best results.
Nutrition
Jan says
We love this recipe Thank you for sharing it it’s in our regular rotation and is always a hit with company We love all your recipes KD ❤️
Karin and Ken says
Thank you for taking the time to comment! I’m so glad you’re enjoying this easy recipe as much as we all do. Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much. All the best. Karin