These Pork Spare Ribs Have A Spicy Bite Thanks To One Flavorful BBQ Sauce Mix-In

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If a simple oven-baked tray of ribs is one of your weeknight go-tos, but you're getting weary of the same basic BBQ sauce, there's one simple ingredient that can add spice, depth of flavor, and a pop of color to your sauce. Gochujang has been popping up on chicken wings, in dipping sauces, and even in international fusion pasta sauces. But what exactly is gochujang? This star Korean ingredient is a fermented red pepper paste also comprising glutinous rice, salt and meju (fermented soybean). As a result of the centuries-old fermentation process, gochujang offers symphonic layers of flavor; umami, sweetness, funkiness, and chili heat. In color, it can come in various rich shades of red, which in turn intensifies the color of food it's added to. Gochujang is widely available, including online, like this medium hot Chung Jung One variety from Amazon.

Gochujang is a popular accompaniment to pork, so adding it to a pork rib recipe is a no-brainer. Its flavor qualities also perfectly complement the mellower flavors of barbecue sauce, but — it's intense, so a little goes a long way. In our scrumptious spicy oven-baked pork spare rib recipe, gochujang is integrated simply by adding a few tablespoons of the red paste to your normal BBQ sauce. Along with some minced garlic, sesame oil, and ginger, simple BBQ flavors transform into an addictive Korean-style sauce. Recipe developer Cecilia Ryu explains that, "The gochujang is not too overpowering, and adds a nice subtle, spicy kick to the sauce."

"This recipe is so amazing because it comes together so quickly. Using store bought [barbecue] sauce, instead of making your own, really cuts down the time when making this recipe," explains Ryu. Gochujang's greatest strength is that it already has its own balance of contrasting and complementary flavors, meaning it simply adds to the complexity of many other sauces without needing to be counteracted with too many other ingredients.

However, for an on-theme finishing touch, add a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion. To play around with ways to upgrade this dish even further, you can experiment by adding a touch of sake directly into the sauce — not too much as it acts as a powerful flavor enhancer. For a sweeter sauce, a drop of mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine) could also be a complementary addition.

One warning worth knowing when using gochujang is that the sugars in the paste are easy to burn and can turn astringent if it does. Barbecue sauce is also pretty sugary, so just keep an eye on your ribs while they're under the broiler to crisp up. A lick of char is ideal, but blacken the ribs too much, and you might end up with a bitter result. The good news is that this sauce isn't just for oven-baked ribs, and will work splendidly on grilled or smoked ribs too.