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Barbecue glazed pork ribs with grilled corn

Barbecue glazed pork ribs with grilled corn serve 6 and need about 35 minutes of active work, the rest being a long slow cook. The sauce and the ribs are cooked the day before, leaving only the glazing and the corn for the day of. It's an easy recipe at around €4.20 per person, and the trick is a slow cook under foil followed by a glaze added only at the very end.

Pork ribs glazed with homemade barbecue sauce, meant to be eaten with your hands, with grilled corn on the side, always ends the night in laughter.

Barbecue glazed pork ribs with grilled corn
For
6 people
Work
35 min
Total time
4 h
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.20
Calories per person
860 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

The meat falls off the bone after a long, slow cook under foil, well before the homemade barbecue sauce ever comes into play. Brown sugar, cider vinegar, smoked paprika and honey give this sauce a balance of sweet and tangy that caramelizes just enough under the broiler without burning. Corn grilled in butter adds a smoky, crunchy side that's a nice change from the usual.

This is a plate you eat with your hands, perfect for a relaxed dinner with friends, a summer family meal, or a birthday where the table moves outside. Kids love it as much as adults do, and the rest of the menu can stay simple, a crunchy salad before, fruit or ice cream after.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 3 steps, 2 h 50
  2. The same day Nothing to do
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 30 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 8 min

The day before, make the barbecue sauce and cook the ribs under foil, then let them cool and refrigerate them with the sauce kept separate. The day of, just before guests arrive, brush the ribs with sauce and caramelize them under the broiler, then boil the corn. Right at serving time, all that's left is a quick turn of the corn in butter in a hot pan and plating everything while it's still warm.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Pork ribs (spare ribs) 2.5 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Ears of corn 6
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Onion 1

Pantry

  • Ketchupoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Brown sugaroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Cider vinegaroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Smoked paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Honeyoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 50 g

Allergens Lactose, Soy, Mustard

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic, add the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, smoked paprika and honey, then let it reduce into a sauce. 20 min

    Taste and adjust, a little more vinegar if it's too sweet, a bit more honey if it's too sharp.

  2. Rub the ribs with salt, pepper and a little paprika, wrap them in foil and cook them at 150°C. 2 h 30

    Seal the foil packet tightly, the trapped steam is what makes the meat so tender.

  3. Let the ribs cool in their foil packet and refrigerate them with the sauce kept separate.

    Cooling them whole makes them much easier to slice cleanly between the bones later.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Take the ribs out, cut them into individual pieces, brush them with sauce and caramelize them under a 220°C broiler, turning them as they cook. 20 min

    Brush in two coats, the second layer is what gives that glossy glaze.

  2. Boil the ears of corn in water, then drain them. 10 min

    Don't salt the water, salt toughens the kernels.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Grill the ears of corn in a pan or under the broiler with the butter until marked, then plate alongside the ribs. 8 min

    Turn the corn often, the kernels that go golden and slightly charred taste best.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick ribs with a good amount of fat still on them, it's what melts during the long cook and keeps the meat moist.
  • Always let the ribs cool whole in their foil packet before cutting them apart, the slices come out cleaner between the bones and the meat holds together better.
  • No broiler at hand? Use your oven's grill setting but watch closely, the sugary sauce burns fast after just a few minutes.

The variations

  • Swap the pork for beef ribs or chicken wings, adjusting the slow cooking time to the thickness of the meat.
  • For a meat free version, glaze thick slices of roasted cauliflower or parsnip the same way, the sauce works just as well.
  • To go faster with kids around, use a store bought barbecue sauce and skip the step of cooking your own.

What to serve it with

  • American style coleslaw
  • Oven roasted potato wedges
  • Homemade lemonade or iced tea

Storage

Cooked ribs keep 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, before or after glazing. They freeze well once cooked under foil, before the broiling step. Reheat gently in the oven before glazing and broiling.

Questions about this recipe

Can I skip letting the ribs cool overnight and glaze them right away?

You can, but the meat is harder to cut cleanly between the bones while still hot. Letting it cool, even just an hour, makes separating the ribs much easier before glazing.

Do I need a charcoal grill to get a good glaze?

No, your oven's broiler works perfectly well to caramelize the sauce in a few minutes. The key is brushing the sauce on twice and watching closely so the sugar doesn't burn.

Can I use frozen corn instead of whole ears?

Frozen ears work fine, just thaw them before grilling in butter. The result looks less dramatic on the plate than a whole ear, but the grilled flavor is still there.

How many ribs should I plan per person?

For 6 people, 2.5 kg of ribs is plenty, especially with corn served alongside. Plan a bit more if the meal doesn't include a substantial starter beforehand.

Can barbecue glazed pork ribs with grilled corn be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 35 min of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make barbecue glazed pork ribs with grilled corn?

Allow 4 h in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 35 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in barbecue glazed pork ribs with grilled corn?

About 860 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does barbecue glazed pork ribs with grilled corn cost?

About €4.20 per person, that's €25.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, soy, mustard. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

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