Smoked Pork Side Ribs with Korean Gochujang BBQ Sauce

With Sour Mango Slaw and Kimchi.

What is your go-to when making smoked bbq pork ribs? Do you go for side ribs or back ribs? Both are great, but I have to say the lower price tag of a side rib is usually what sells me. Technically both kinds of pork ribs can be treated the same way - season with a spice rub, smoke, and then add a bbq sauce, but side ribs need to cook a little longer to get that same tenderness of a back rib. But that’s okay, because making smoked bbq ribs is a labour of love. The secret is the low and slow smoke, 1.5-2 hours uncovered, and then another 1-1.5 hours slathered with bbq sauce and wrapped in parchment paper and tin foil. Another pro tip, is when your ribs are uncovered in the smoker, fill a spray bottle with Coca Cola and give them a spritz to keep them moist.

For these smoked bbq ribs, I decided to go the less traditional route and make a sweet and heat gochujang sauce and then paired it with a refreshing mango slaw. I went real unconventional in the prep and used soy sauce as my binder and then seasoned my side ribs with Alchemy Green Rub (more on that coming up soon, promise). If you’re looking for your more traditional bbq flavours for your ribs, check out my recipe for Alchemy Blue BBQ Ribs, if you’re looking for something a little different keep reading to find out how to make my Smoked Pork Side Ribs with Korean Gochujang BBQ Sauce and Mango Slaw or jump to the full recipe.

Preheat your smoker to 275F. To prepare your pork side ribs, trim the ends and remove the silverskin. Drizzle soy sauce on your ribs and then spread around with your hands to coat, season with Alchemy Green Rub. Flip and repeat on the other side.

Place your side ribs in the smoker for about 1.5-2 hours. Check on your ribs after about an hour and spray with some Coca Cola in a spray bottle to keep them moist.

When your ribs are coming up to an hour and half, bring half a litre of water to a boil in a small pot on your plancha. Once boiling, add in your brown sugar and whisk until melted. Allow to simmer for a few minutes to slightly reduce. Add in your gochujang and whisk.

Allow your sauce to come to a simmer and add in the chopped garlic and ginger. Whisk together again and allow to bubble and reduce, about 5-10 minutes. Then remove from the heat.

On your work surface, put down a piece of tin foil and a piece of parchment paper on top. After that initial1.5-2 hours in the smoker, remove your ribs from the smoker and place on your parchment paper. Cover the ribs in the gochujang sauce.

Wrap the sauced up side ribs in the parchment paper and tin foil. Place back in the smoker for another 1-1.5 hours.

While your ribs finish smoking, prepare your mango slaw. Make sure to use an unripe, green, mango so it will be a bit sour. To make your slaw, thinly slice your mango, red pepper, English cucumber and green onion.

Put all your vegetables in a large bowl and season with sesame oil, seasoned rice wine vinegar, salt and mix together to coat.

Once your ribs are done smoking, after about 3-3.5 hours total of cooking, remove from the smoker and unwrap. Cut up your ribs and place on a board or platter.

Serve your ribs with the mango slaw, kimchi and garnish with sesame seeds.

And now for the full recipe...

Smoked Pork Side Ribs with Korean Gochujang BBQ Sauce and Sour Mango Slaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3.5 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 rack pork side ribs

2 tbsp soy sauce

Alchemy Green Rub

Gochujang sauce:

½ litre water

½ packed brown sugar

2 tbsp gochujang

12 cloves garlic

2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

2 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar

For the slaw:

1 unripe mango

1 red pepper

½ English cucumber

1 stalk green onion

2 tbsp Sesame oil

4 tbsp Seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

Kimchi

Sesame seeds

How to Make It:

Preheat your smoker to 275F.

Trim the ends of your rack of ribs and remove the silverskin. Rub both sides with soy sauce and season with Alchemy Green Rub. Place in the smoker for about 1.5-2 hours. Check on your ribs after about an hour and spray with some Coca Cola in a spray bottle to keep them moist.

When your ribs are coming up to an hour and half, bring half a litre of water to boil in a small pot on your plancha. Once boiling, add in your brown sugar and whisk until melted. Allow to simmer for a few minutes to slightly reduce. Add in your gochujang and whisk. Allow to come to a simmer and add in the chopped garlic and ginger. Whisk together again and allow to bubble and reduce, about 5-10 minutes. Then remove from the heat.

On your work surface, put down a piece of tin foil and a piece of parchment paper on top. After 1.5-2 hours in the smoker, remove your ribs from the smoker and place on your parchment paper. Cover the ribs in the gochujang sauce and wrap in the parchment paper and tin foil. Place back in the smoker for another 1-1.5 hours.

To make your slaw, thinly slice your mango, red pepper, English cucumber and green onion and add everything to a bowl. Season with sesame oil, seasoned rice wine vinegar, salt and mix together to coat.

Once your ribs are done, after about 3-3.5 total in the smoker, remove from the smoker and unwrap. Cut up your ribs and place on a board or platter. Serve with the mango slaw and garnish with kimchi and sesame seeds.

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