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Sticky plum and earl grey ribs with plum and sesame salad

Baby back ribs covered in plum sauce next to a plum salad on a baking tray.

Sticky plum and earl grey ribs with plum and sesame salad

Name: Sticky plum and earl grey ribs with plum and sesame salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 55 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 4 earl grey tea bags; 50g soft light brown sugar; 2 x 1kg racks of baby back ribs; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 shallots roughly chopped; 3 garlic cloves crushed; 20g ginger peeled and finely chopped; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 star anise; 1 tsp allspice; 300g red plum flesh (about 5 plums); 75g soft light brown sugar; 75ml rice wine vinegar; 3 plums cut into slim wedges; 3 spring onions thinly sliced diagonally; 1 red chilli thinly sliced; small bunch of coriander leaves picked; 1 tsp runny honey; 1 tsp soy sauce; 2 tsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Nadine Brown

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Serves 4 - 6

Easy

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 2 hrs and 55 mins

plus marinating

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Use a dry rub of earl grey tea and sugar on ribs and leave to marinate, then coat in a rich plum sauce spiced with ginger, cinnamon, star anise and allspice for plenty of flavour

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Try this sticky plum and earl grey ribs with plum and sesame salad, then check out our barbecue-style pork ribs, sticky Chinese ribs and our best plum recipes for more inspiration.

Cook's tips:

Japanese plums, with their red hue, are the type you'd typically find in the supermarket, but don’t be afraid to branch out. Damsons are excellent for jam and gin due to their slightly bitter flavour, golden Mirabelles are sweet and juicy, and greengages can vary between tart and sweet, depending on how ripe they are.

Ingredients

Nutrition

Dry rub

4 earl grey tea bags
50g soft light brown sugar
2 x 1kg racks of baby back ribs

Plum sauce

1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 shallots

roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves

crushed
20g ginger

peeled and finely chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
1 tsp allspice
300g red plum flesh

(about 5 plums)
75g soft light brown sugar
75ml rice wine vinegar

Salad

3 plums

cut into slim wedges
3 spring onions

thinly sliced diagonally
1 red chilli

thinly sliced
small bunch of coriander

leaves picked
1 tsp runny honey
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Nutrition: per serving (6)

kcal613
fat32.5g
saturates11.5g
carbs22.3g
sugars21.9g
fibre1.8g
protein56.9g
salt2.3g

Method

step 1

Empty the contents of the tea bags into a bowl along with the sugar, 2 tsp of fine sea salt and 1 tsp of ground black pepper, stirring to combine. Arrange the ribs on two pieces of foil, large enough to wrap around them, and divide the rub mixture between the two, rubbing it firmly into the ribs. Wrap the ribs in the foil and leave to marinate for an hour. Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Transfer the ribs to two baking trays and bake in the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins until tender but still intact.
step 2

While the ribs cook, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the shallots, garlic and ginger for 6-8 mins, or until softened. Add the cinnamon, star anise and allspice, and cook for a further minute before adding the plums, sugar and rice vinegar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat, partially cover and cook for 25 mins until the plums are very tender.
step 3

Remove the star anise and cinnamon stick from the pan, and blend the remaining mixture with 1 tbsp of water using a mini or immersion blender. Season to taste.
step 4

Turn up the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Arrange a wire rack in a large oven tray and put the ribs on top. Baste with the plum sauce and roast for 25 mins, turning and basting often until evenly coloured and sticky all over.
step 5

Meanwhile, make the salad. Combine the plums, spring onions, chilli and coriander in a large bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients and drizzle over the salad, tossing together. Let the ribs rest for 10 mins before serving with the salad. Save any remaining plum sauce in the fridge for up to two weeks – it works well as a dipping sauce.

Discover more delicious plum recipes.

Authors

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Nadine Brown

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