With summer about to kick off in full swing, it’s time to start working on your grilling game.
And no barbecue is complete without a tasty rack of ribs.
At International Smoke in San Francisco, chef Michael Mina puts a Korean spin on his pork ribs by spiking the dry rub with gochugaru (Korean chile flakes). The ribs are then marinated for 12 hours, and turn into a “great, sticky” bark once cooked.
A note from the chef: make sure you budget your time wisely when preparing these ribs to maximize flavor.
Here’s how to make them at home.
Korean-Style BBQ Ribs
Courtesy of Chef Michael Mina, International Smoke, San FranciscoServes 4
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 Tablespoons gochugaru (Korean dried chile flakes)
1 1/2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons onion powder
1/2 Tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds, ground in blender
For the Glaze:
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh scallions
1 cup coarsely chopped peeled ginger
3 Tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil
1/2 cup gochujang chile paste
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
For the Ribs:
2 racks baby back pork ribs (about 2 pounds each), trimmed and thoroughly patted dry
1 Tablespoon Hawaiian red salt, to finish
1/4 cup sliced scallions
Method
For the Dry Rub:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine; reserve.
For the Glaze:
1. Pulse the scallions, ginger and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped; reserve.
2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add reserved scallion-ginger mixture and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the gochujang, sesame seeds, vinegar, soy sauce, and both sugars, and stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often to prevent scorching, until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with some salt.
3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor (preferably a Vitamix), and blend until fully-incorporated and smooth. Reserve in a heat-safe storage container.
For the Ribs and Assembly:
1. Rub the ribs with the reserved glaze and dust with the rub. Let stand on a sheet pan lined with cooling racks, uncovered, on the top shelf of the refrigerator overnight.
2. The following day, remove the ribs from the refrigerator. You’ll need to use indirect heat on your grill. If using a charcoal grill, heat your chimney of coals and then empty them all onto one side; if using a gas grill, turn up the burner only on one side. Cook the ribs on the opposite side over indirect heat, low and slow. The goal is for the closed grill to maintain a temperature of 250˚F. Cook ribs until tender, roughly 2 to 3 hours.
3. Remove from the smoker and portion as needed. To serve, re-brush with reserved glaze and finish with Hawaiian red salt and sliced scallions.
Photo by James Carriere.
