Gochujang Baby Back Ribs – Derrick Riches

This gochujang baby back ribs recipe combines the rich, umami flavors of Korean gochujang with the tenderness of perfectly smoked pork ribs. The balance of sweetness and heat makes this dish a perfect main course for any cookout or family meal.

Gochujang adds a flavorful twist to traditional BBQ sauce by infusing it with a unique blend of heat, sweetness, and savory notes. This popular ingredient, made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, and salt, will add depth to traditional tomato-based BBQ sauces.

Please note that we are using the 2-2-1 cooking method for this gochujang ribs recipe. Plan on 4-5 hours of cooking time. If you’d like to use spare ribs instead, use 1/3 to 1/2 cup of rub and plan on 5-6 hours of cooking time.

Recipe ingredients

• 1 rack of baby back ribs
• Korean Spice Rub (or bottled Korean BBQ rub)
• Kosher salt (*omit if using a bottled rub)
• Gochujang BBQ Sauce
• Apple juice (for spritzing)
• Green onions or scallions (or chilies for the spice lovers!)
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Pink butcher paper (optional)

Wood recommendations: Use mild to moderate wood for this recipe such as apple, cherry, or pecan wood.

Making the sauce

Gochujang BBQ sauce is simple to make. For best results, prepare it the night before and store it in the refrigerator. That way, all those fantastic flavors will meld together, leaving you with a delicious sauce the next day. Please refer to the Gochujang BBQ Sauce recipe page for complete instructions. You’ll need the following ingredients to make it:

• Ketchup 
• Gochujang paste (Some variations of this soybean paste are vegan and gluten-free friendly)
• Rice vinegar
• Dark brown sugar (substitute with honey)
• Soy sauce (you can also use organic tamari or low sodium soy sauce for this recipe)
• Fresh garlic, minced 
• Fresh ginger, grated
• Sesame oil
• Water or low-sodium beef stock
• Butter (preferably unsalted butter)

How to Make Gochujang Ribs

• Rib prep: Remove the thawed baby back ribs from the packaging and blot away excess moisture with paper towels.
• Next, remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs. 
• Flip the baby back ribs over so that the bone side is facing upward. Make a slit in the silver skin with a sharp knife. Next, grasp the cut piece with a folded paper towel. Pull up and gently pull the membrane off.
• Season the ribs: Flip the rack of baby back ribs over and coat the meat side with salt. Apply the BBQ rub evenly to the ribs. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. You can complete this step up to 4 hours in advance, but please store the ribs in the refrigerator if there are more than 30 minutes between seasoning and cooking them.
• Preheat your pellet grill to 225°F.
• Cook the ribs: Place the seasoned ribs bone-side down on your grill or smoker, close the lid, and cook for 90 minutes.
• Bark formation: After this time, you’ll notice the bark forming on the ribs. If you notice any dry patches, it’s time to spritz with apple juice.
• Spritz: Fill your food-safe spray bottle with room-temperature apple juice and lightly mist the ribs.
• Continue cooking: Close the lid once more and let the gochujang ribs cook until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
• Wrap: Using heat-resistant gloves, remove the bay back ribs and place them onto a large sheet of pink butcher paper. Gently wrap them and return them to the grill or smoker. This step is optional.

Saucing and more

• Sauce the ribs: Once the ribs reach an internal temp of 185°F, unwrap them. Place them back on the grill and brush them with Gochujang BBQ sauce. Allow them to cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.
• Doneness temperature: Ribs are done once they reach between 195-200°F.
• Serving: Remove gochujang ribs from the heat and place them onto a cutting board. Let them rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Garnish ribs with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions (or chilies), and serve with extra Gochujang BBQ sauce on the side. 

Oven method: Cook these delicious Korean-style ribs in your oven! Follow our BBQ Ribs in the Oven Recipe Guide for best results.

Storing Leftover Gochujang Ribs

Store leftover gochujang ribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze them in vacuum-sealed bags for up to 3 months. Reheat them in a 350°F oven or microwave on high until they are warmed all the way through.

Build your menu

Plan on serving 2-3 gochujang ribs per person, a few delicious sides, and a dessert. If you have big eaters in the group, consider making 2 or more racks of baby back ribs.

• 1 rack of baby back ribs
• 1/4 cup Korean Spice Rub
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup Gochujang BBQ Sauce plus extra for serving
• 1/3 cup apple juice for spritzing
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (sub with sliced chilies)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Pink butcher paper optional

• Prepare sauce and rub according to recipe instructions. Click on the link for recipes.

• Remove thawed baby back ribs from the packaging, and blot the excess moisture with paper towels.

• Next, remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs.

• Flip the baby back ribs over so that the bone side is facing upward. Make a slit in the silver skin with a sharp knife. Next, grab ahold of the cut piece with a folded paper towel. Pull up and gently pull off the membrane.

• Flip the rack of baby backs over, and coat the meat section with salt. Apply the BBQ rub evenly to the ribs. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. You can do this step up to 4 hours in advance, but please store the ribs in the refrigerator if there are more than 30 minutes between seasoning them and cooking them.

• Preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees F.

• Place the seasoned ribs bone-side down on your grill or smoker, close the lid, and cook for 90 minutes.

• After this time, you’ll notice the bark forming on the ribs. If you notice any dry patches, it’s time to spritz with apple juice.

• Fill your food-safe spray bottle with room-temperature apple juice, and lightly mist the ribs.

• Close the lid once more, and let cook ribs until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

• Using heat-resistant gloves, remove the bay back ribs and place them onto a large sheet of pink butcher paper. Gently wrap, and place them back on the grill or smoker. This step is optional.

• When the ribs have an internal temp of 185 degrees, unwrap them. Place them back on the grill and brush them with Gochujang BBQ sauce. Let them cook for another 20-30 minutes.

• Ribs are done once they reach between 195-200 degrees F.

• Remove ribs from the heat and place them onto a cutting board. Let them rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

• Garnish ribs with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions, and serve with extra Gochujang BBQ sauce on the side.

• Store leftover ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months in vacuum-sealed bags. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 910mg | Potassium: 533mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 301mg | Iron: 7mg