St. Louis Style 

St. Louis ribs have a fascinating history rooted in barbecue traditions. The term "St. Louis-style" originally referred to a specific way of cutting pork spare ribs. After World War II, local butchers began trimming the sternum bone, cartilage, and rib tips to create a rectangular rack that was meatier and more visually appealing2. This cut became popular and was eventually formalized by the USDA as "Pork Ribs, St. Louis Style".

St. Louis barbecue itself is characterized by grilling rather than slow-smoking, with a tomato-based, sweet, and tangy sauce that complements the ribs. The city is known for consuming more barbecue sauce per capita than any other U.S. city1. The barbecue culture in St. Louis also draws inspiration from Kansas City, given their geographical proximity.

The ribs gained widespread popularity thanks to local meatpackers and butchers who embraced the cutting technique, and today, St. Louis-style ribs are a staple in barbecue joints across the country. The city's barbecue scene also includes other specialties like burnt ends, pork steaks, and crispy pig snoots.

Sweet Fire Ginger Ribs

A Flavor Explosion in Every Bite!

 

Welcome to our food blog! Get ready to embark on a culinary adventure with our Sweet Fire Ginger Ribs recipe. These ribs are the ultimate flavor bomb, combining sweet, spicy, and tangy sensations that will make your taste buds dance with joy. Perfect for a cozy family dinner, this recipe is sure to be a hit. So, put on your apron, crank up the tunes, and let's get cooking!

Ingredients:

For the Ribs:

  • 1 Rack of St. Louis Style Ribs
  • 2 tablespoons of Sriracha for coating the ribs
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Marinade:

  • 3 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon grated garlic
  • 3 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

Step 1: Prep Those Ribs

  1. Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C). Let's get things heated up!
  2. Remove the membrane from the back of the ribs. This will help all those delicious flavors seep in better.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and smoked paprika. Give the ribs a good rubdown with the Sriracha sauce and then rub in the seasoning mix.
  4. Place the ribs on a rack over a baking sheet with some water.
  5. Bake the ribs in the preheated oven for 2.5 to 3 hours until they're tender and juicy.

Step 2: Whip Up the Marinade

  1. While the ribs are baking, let's make the marinade. Blend the grated ginger, minced garlic, sesame oil, maple syrup, gochujang, neutral oil, rice wine vinegar and water.
  2. Once the ribs are done baking, take them out of the oven and brush the ribs generously with the marinade, making sure to coat every nook and cranny, then wrap them with butcher paper and put it back in the oven for at least 30 minutes to soak up all the flavors.
  3. Let the ribs rest for 20 minutes out of the oven. ENJOY!