The Ivy’s (Gary Lee) sticky smoked BBQ short ribs
Complexity moderate | Prep 30 minutes, plus marination time | Cook time 2 hours | Serves 4
Rib marinade
800g baby back pork ribs
4 tsp Chinese five spice
3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp (50ml) light soy sauce 3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp (50ml) kecap manis (sweet soy)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground black pepper Rib cooking liquor
1L chicken stock cilantro/coriander stalks from the garnish 50g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 1 stalk lemongrass
3 lime leaves
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded
3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp (50ml) light soy sauce Rib glaze
125g miso paste
1⁄3 cup (75ml) vegetable stock 190g honey (I use Chinese honey) 50g maltose
1 Tbsp kecap manis For smoking
wood chips
To serve
handful of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
4 green onions/spring onions, thinly sliced
20g toasted sesame seeds
Method
Using a sharp knife, make incisions between the rib bones on both sides, being careful not to cut all the way through. Mix together the rib marinade ingredients and rub all over the ribs, including into the incisions. Cover and marinade in the fridge for 24 hours.
Remove the ribs from the fridge and wipe off all excess marinade. Place the rib cooking liquor ingredients in a pan large enough to hold the ribs, and bring the liquor to the boil. Add the ribs and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the ribs for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender, then remove from the liquid and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, make the glaze by heating the miso with the vegetable stock in a pan over a medium heat, whisking well to combine. Gently simmer to reduce the liquid until most has evaporated, then remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.
Rub some of the glaze on to the cooked ribs. If you have a smoker then follow the manufacturer’s instructions; alternatively, a simple stovetop smoker can be made out of normal kitchen utensils. Place 2 handfuls of wood chips in the centre of a roasting tray, place a wire rack over the top and put the ribs on the rack. Place this on the stove top and turn on to a moderate to low heat. Once the chips start smoking, cover the tray with foil and leave to gently smoke for about 1 hour, making sure to brush more of the glaze on to the ribs every 10 minutes. The ribs should be nice and sticky once finished.
Serve the ribs with the garnish ingredients scattered over the top.