Also, try these braised pork ribs and these oven baked ribs! And for another tasty pork recipe, try our baked pork chops! The secret to these ponzu ribs is simmering then with vinegar to tenderize the meat, then marinating in the sauce, and finally tossing them on the grill to finish them off. If you’ve never cooked with ponzu sauce or aren’t familiar with it, it’s a Japanese condiment. For these ponzu ribs, you’ll be making your own ponzu sauce, which consists of soy sauce, citrus, and sugar. The word ponzu means “juice squeezed from sour oranges” in Japanese, so you will include juices from both lemon and oranges for this recipe. It gives a nice sour-tart balance to the salty soy sauce. You can buy store-bought ponzu sauce if you’re in a pinch, however, this ponzu ribs recipe is so delicious and simple to bring together – promise, it’s worth making your own.
Pork ribs: Pick up 5 lb of pork ribs from your local grocery store or butcher. You can have the butcher pre-cut them into pieces that will fit in a large pot. Cornstarch: The cornstarch will act as a thickener for the ponzu sauce. Cold water: The cold water and cornstarch will mixed together and added to the ponzu sauce. Soy sauce: For these ponzu ribs you’ll need 1 cup of soy sauce as the base of the sauce. You can sub gluten-free if needed. Brown sugar: Add 1 cup of brown sugar (light brown sugar or coconut sugar) to combine with the soy sauce and citrus juices. This will give a sweetness to the sauce, that combines well with the salty and sour tastes in the ponzu sauce. It will also help create that sticky texture we all love for ribs. Zest and juice from 1 lemon: Here comes the citrus! Use the zest and juice from an entire lemon for a real zing. Zest and juice from 1 orange: The orange and lemon combo makes for a real tangy pop, and is what makes this recipe unique. Sriracha: Add some heat to the sauce with a tablespoon of sriracha (or other hot sauce). If you aren’t keen on so much heat, you can add less. Ground cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for a warm spice and fragrance. Garnishes: You can garnish the ribs with toasted cashews, orange slices, sesame seeds, and/or sliced green onions.
No doubt these ponzu ribs will be the centerpiece of your meal, but here are some ideas of what you can serve alongside this dish to put together one incredible table:
Noodle stir fry with lemon sesame sauce, or opt for the veggie-forward carrot noodle stir fry with bok choy to balance the meat. This cauliflower fried rice would be nice with ponzu ribs or a simple garlic butter rice. Try this Asian salad with sesame ginger dressing or a creamy kale caesar salad.
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