Chinese five-spice plum pork ribs are sticky, fragrant, and utterly addictive: spare ribs braised in a glaze of honey, orange juice, ginger, garlic, and serrano, with fresh plums roasting right alongside. The five-spice brings all of the classic Chinese flavors — sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, and salty — in one potent teaspoon. Finished uncovered until lacquered and browned.
SERVES 4
While no one knows its exact origins, some believe that the Chinese created five-spice powder to encompass all of the five flavors: sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty. These five elements combined create a powerful flavor. The five-spice brings a unique flavor to this dish. Remember when using it, a little goes a long way!
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp/40 g raw honey
⅓ cup/80 ml fresh orange juice
1 tsp/2 g Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp/5 g fresh ginger, minced
1 serrano pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp/5 g sea salt
2 lbs/900 g pork spare ribs, cut into 4 slabs
1 lb/455 g plums, pitted and halved or, if very large, quartered
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients except ribs and plums until well combined. Place ribs meat-side down in an oven-safe pan with a lid, such as a Dutch oven. Pour sauce over the ribs and make sure they are well coated. Arrange the cut plums around the ribs. Cover and bake for 2 hours. Halfway through remove the lid and baste the pork.
Increase the oven to 375°F/190°C. Remove the cover and flip the pork so the meat is facing up. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until ribs are browned. Place ribs on a plate with some plums and drizzle with sauce.
Pro Tips
- A little five-spice goes a long way — one teaspoon is correct, and doubling it will make the dish taste medicinal rather than complex.
- Start the ribs meat-side down so they braise in the sauce, then flip them meat-side up for the final uncovered blast; that's how you get sticky lacquered edges.
- Baste halfway through with the lid off — the honey in the sauce wants to burn, so those mid-cook spoonfuls keep the glaze even.
- Use plums that are ripe but still firm; very ripe fruit disintegrates into the sauce before the ribs finish.
- The final 15 to 20 minutes at 375°F is what transforms braised ribs into sticky ribs — don't pull them early while they still look wet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ribs on the grill?
Braise them covered first (in foil on indirect heat), then unwrap and glaze over direct heat at the end. The two-stage method is what keeps the meat tender and the outside sticky.
What can I use instead of plums?
Apricots or peaches hold up similarly well to the long roast. The stone-fruit sweetness is what tames the five-spice's intensity.
How spicy is this dish?
One seeded serrano gives a gentle warmth that the honey and orange balance. For a fierier version, leave the seeds in or add a second pepper.
How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate for up to four days. Reheat uncovered in a 350°F oven so the glaze re-candies instead of turning soggy in the microwave.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C.
- In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients except ribs and plums until well combined.
- Place ribs meat-side down in an oven-safe pan with a lid, such as a Dutch oven.
- Pour sauce over the ribs and make sure they are well coated.
- Arrange the cut plums around the ribs.
- Cover and bake for 2 hours. Halfway through remove the lid and baste the pork. Increase the oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Remove the cover and flip the pork so the meat is facing up.
- Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until ribs are browned.
- Place ribs on a plate with some plums and drizzle with sauce.
