Go Back
A rack of Vietnamese pork ribs on a sheet of parchment on a cutting board with a basting brush and a bowl of lime wedges nearby.
Print Recipe
5 / 3 votes

Vietnamese Pork Ribs

These Vietnamese pork ribs have layers of sweet, savory, and spicy thanks to its five spice marinade and a tangy citrus and soy basting sauce that clings to every crevice while the ribs finish on the grill.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 35 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Calories: 1310

Ingredients

For the marinated pork ribs

  • 2 medium (12 oz) white or yellow onions, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 2 tablespoons five-spice powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil, plus more as needed
  • One (2 1/2-pound) rack baby back ribs

For the basting sauce

  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar or light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 4 cloves garlic, grated
  • 2 medium stalks lemongrass (white parts only), trimmed and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon hot chile powder (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Juice of 1 medium lime, preferably organic (2 to 3 tablespoons)
  • Zest of 1 medium lime, preferably organic (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce (or substitute regular soy sauce)
  • 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or substitute light or regular soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup mild vegetable oil
US - Metric

Instructions

Marinate the ribs

  • In a very large bowl or roasting pan, whisk together the onions, garlic, five-spice powder, salt, and oil until well combined. Add the pork ribs and turn to thoroughly coat the ribs. Cover with plastic wrap.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: You can instead divvy the marinade between 2 large resealable plastic bags, cut each rack of ribs into 2 even slabs, and place a slab in each bag, pressing out the air around the ribs and tightly sealing the bags.

  • Refrigerate the ribs for 2 to 24 hours.

Make the basting sauce

  • In a medium bowl, combine the palm or brown sugar with the water and stir to dissolve.
  • Whisk in the garlic, lemongrass, chili powder (if using), black pepper, lime juice, lime zest, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil.
  • Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400 to 450°F | 204 to 232°C).
  • Remove the ribs from the marinade, scraping off any excess, and rub with a small amount of oil on both sides.
  • Grill the ribs, meaty side down, for 7 minutes. Flip the ribs and continue to grill, basting the meat side with the basting sauce, until the pork’s internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C), 7 to 15 minutes more.
  • Flip the ribs again and grill for 7 minutes. Use a clean brush to baste the bone side.
  • Flip the ribs one final time and grill them for 7 minutes. Baste the ribs all over before removing them from the heat. Discard any leftover basting sauce.
  • Let the ribs rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the rack into 3- to 4-rib portions and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 1310kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 73g | Fat: 101g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Monounsaturated Fat: 35g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 246mg | Sodium: 3857mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g