Grilled Orange-Glazed Baby Back Ribs With Chile-Peanut Dust From 'The Big-Flavor Grill'

Maggie Mariolis
Grilled Orange-Glazed Baby Back Ribs With Chile-Peanut Dust From 'The Big-Flavor Grill'
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  • Yield:Serves 6 as an appetizer, 3 or 4 as an entrée
  • Active time:30 minutes
  • Total time:1 hour 10 minutes
This recipe appears in:
Grilled Orange-Glazed Baby Back Ribs With Chile-Peanut Dust From 'The Big-Flavor Grill'

Soy sauce, orange, and ginger lend bright, Asian-inflected character to these baby back ribs. [Photograph: Ed Anderson]

Asian flavors seem to bring out the best in pork. So if you're working with a gorgeous rack of grilled baby back ribs, dousing them in gingery, orangey, soy sauce is a pretty great way to go, like in this recipe from The Big-Flavor Grill, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby.

True to their streamlined method, the simply-grilled ribs get their massive dose of flavor after their time on the grill is done, by tossing them with hoisin and soy sauces, orange juice, and a generous amount of minced ginger. The charred crust soaks up the savory flavor, and the ginger adds a wild note, untamed by the usual time spent soaking in a dressing or marinade. The peanut dust—just chopped peanuts toasted with sesame oil and chili powder—makes the ribs effortlessly memorable.

Why I picked this recipe: It's one of their 'curve-ball' recipes, which call for an element that may require a little more time or work. Here, that element is the peanut dust, but, honestly, it couldn't be easier.

What worked: The peanut dust adds texture and balance to the savory ribs.

What didn't: Maybe the use of the word 'glazed' in the title threw me, but I wanted a little more sweetness than the orange juice provided. And since the sauce never sees the heat of the grill, it doesn't seem like much of a glaze at all. It's potent and delicious, but I guess I've come to expect a degree of stickiness from a recipe like this.

Suggested tweaks: Put together the sauce just before adding the ribs, and see if you agree with me. If you do, add a little honey to the mix.

As usual, we are giving away 5 copies of The Big-Flavor Grill this week.

Reprinted with permission from The Big-Flavor Grill, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, copyright 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House LLC.

Ingredients

  • For the Chile-Peanut Dust
  • 2/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • For the Sauce
  • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • For the Ribs
  • 2 racks baby back ribs, about 3 pounds each
  • Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and light green parts

Directions

  1. 1.

    PRE-PREP: To make the Chile-Peanut Dust, preheat oven to 350°F. Combine [the ingredients] in a small bowl and mix well. Put on an unoiled sheet pan and roast, tossing occasionally, until light brown and very fragrant,
    about 8 to 10 minutes (checking very frequently to prevent burning).
    Remove and set aside.

  2. 2.

    Build a two-level fire in your grill, which means you put all the coals on one side of the grill and leave the other side free of coals. When the coals are medium (you can hold your hand 6 inches above the grill for 4 to 5 seconds), you’re ready to cook.

  3. 3.

    PREP: As the fire heats up, set [the Sauce ingredients] up in individual containers.

  4. 4.

    GRILL: Sprinkle the ribs generously with the salt and pepper, place them on the grill directly over the coals, and cook until a peek inside shows that the meat no longer has any pink at the center, about 8 to 10 minutes per side (just to be clear, that’s 16 to 20 minutes total).

  5. 5.

    TOP: When the rib racks come off the grill, cut them into individual ribs, put in a large bowl, add all of the prep ingredients, and toss vigorously. Lay them out on a platter and top with a mixture of the Chile-Peanut Dust and the scallions.

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