Gochujang Ribs: Big Green Egg Smoked Korean Spare Ribs
This recipe for Gochujang Ribs: Big Green Egg Smoked Korean Spare Ribs is so delicious you will wish you had more when they are gone. Sweet and savory with the right amount of heat these ribs are fantastic.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Spare Ribs Ingredients:
- 2 racks pork spareribs trimmed and membrane removed
- 1/2 cup SPG Rub
Gochujang Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 cup Gochujang Red Pepper Paste
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup Korean Rice Wine Mirin
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger finely grated
- 4 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 tsp ground white pepper
Wrap Ingredients:
- 8 tbsp butter cut into pats
- 1/2 cup beer lager preferred
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Whisk all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Set this aside to let the flavors meld while you prep the meat.
- Season the Ribs: Trim your spare ribs and remove the silver skin from the back. Apply a generous coating of the SPG rub to both sides of each rack.
- Fire Up the Egg: Set your Big Green Egg for indirect cooking using the convEGGtor and a drip pan filled with water.
- Stabilize your temperature at 250°F and add one large chunk of Hickory for a clean smoke profile.
- The First Smoke: Place both racks of ribs on the grid. Let them smoke undisturbed for 3 hours to build a solid bark and absorb that hickory flavor.
- The Wrap (3-1-1 Method): Remove the ribs from the Egg. Lay out two large sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place each rack meat side down on its own sheet. Add 4 pats of butter and 1/4 cup of beer to each foil packet. Seal them tightly and return them to the Egg for 1 hour at 250°F
- The Glaze: Carefully remove the ribs from the foil and place them back on the cooking grid. Brush a thick layer of the Gochujang sauce over the top and sides of both racks.
- The Final Set: Increase the Egg temperature to 300°F. Cook the ribs for 1 final hour. This higher heat is what caramelizes the sugars in the glaze and creates that signature sticky texture.
- Test and Serve: Use the toothpick test to ensure the meat is tender. Once the ribs have a beautiful mahogany crust and the meat has pulled back from the bones, remove them from the grill. Let them rest for 10 minutes before slicing.