Gochujang-Glazed Ribs
By Bryan RoofPublished on September 5, 2025
Time
4¾ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Ribs and Rub
1½ tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon gochugaru 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted, divided1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons pepper 1½ teaspoons granulated garlic 2 (2½- to 3-pound) racks St. Louis–style spareribs, trimmed5 (3-inch) wood chunks 1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan 2 scallions, sliced thinGlaze
¼ cup gochujang ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons ginger ale2 tablespoons toasted sesame oilBefore You Begin
We developed this recipe using a 22-inch Weber kettle charcoal grill. And we developed this recipe using Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt; if using Morton brand kosher salt, reduce the salt to 1 tablespoon. On sunny days over 85 degrees, the ribs will cook faster, and you should check them for doneness after 3½ hours of cooking.
Instructions
- Combine 1½ tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons pepper, and 1½ teaspoons granulated garlic in bowl. Place 2 trimmed racks St. Louis–style spareribs on rimmed baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Flip ribs meaty side down. Sprinkle bone side of ribs with about one-third of spice mixture. Flip ribs and sprinkle meaty side with remaining two-thirds of spice mixture.
- Open bottom vent of charcoal grill completely. Arrange 40 charcoal briquettes, 2 briquettes wide, around half of perimeter of grill, overlapping slightly so briquettes are touching, to form C shape. Place second layer of 40 briquettes, also 2 briquettes wide, on top of first. (Completed arrangement should be 2 briquettes wide by 2 briquettes high.)
- Starting 2 inches from 1 end of charcoal C, place 5 wood chunks on top of charcoal 2 inches apart. Place 1 disposable aluminum pan in center of grill, running lengthwise into arc of charcoal C. Pour 6 cups water into disposable pan.
- Light chimney starter filled with 10 briquettes (pile briquettes on 1 side of chimney so they catch). When coals are partially covered with ash, use tongs to place them on one end of charcoal snake.
- Set cooking grate in place, then clean and oil grate. Place ribs side by side on grill, meaty side up, lengthwise over water pan. Cover grill (position lid vent over ribs) and open lid vent completely. Cook, without opening grill, for 2 hours.
- Open grill and rotate ribs 180 degrees. Continue to cook, without opening grill, for 1½ to 2 hours longer.
- Meanwhile, whisk ¼ cup gochujang, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ginger ale, and 2 tablespoons sesame oil together in bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside.
- Transfer ribs to rimmed baking sheet, meaty side up. Brush meaty side of each rack with 3 tablespoons glaze. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Sprinkle ribs with 2 thinly sliced scallions and remaining 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds. Cut ribs between bones. Serve, passing remaining glaze.
for the ribs and rub
for the glaze
Time
4¾ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ribs and Rub
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon gochugaru
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted, divided
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pepper
1½ teaspoons granulated garlic
2 (2½- to 3-pound) racks St. Louis–style spareribs, trimmed
5 (3-inch) wood chunks
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan
2 scallions, sliced thin
Glaze
¼ cup gochujang
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ginger ale
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Ingredients
Ribs and Rub
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon gochugaru
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted, divided
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pepper
1½ teaspoons granulated garlic
2 (2½- to 3-pound) racks St. Louis–style spareribs, trimmed
5 (3-inch) wood chunks
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan
2 scallions, sliced thin
Glaze
¼ cup gochujang
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ginger ale
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Ingredients
Ribs and Rub
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon gochugaru
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted, divided
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons pepper
1½ teaspoons granulated garlic
2 (2½- to 3-pound) racks St. Louis–style spareribs, trimmed
5 (3-inch) wood chunks
1 (13 by 9-inch) disposable aluminum pan
2 scallions, sliced thin
Glaze
¼ cup gochujang
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ginger ale
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is inspired by the Gochujang-Glazed Ribs we ate at Blood Bros. BBQ in Houston, Texas, in 2023. For ribs that are tender to the bone and coated in a bold gochujang glaze, we used a charcoal snake, a C-shaped arrangement of charcoal briquettes that can burn for hours without interruption. We rubbed the ribs with a simple mix of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), sesame seeds, brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper. After the ribs were cooked through, we brushed them with a glaze modeled after the Houston restaurant made with equal parts gochujang, sugar, and soy sauce and enhanced with ginger ale and sesame oil.
Before You Begin
We developed this recipe using a 22-inch Weber kettle charcoal grill. And we developed this recipe using Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt; if using Morton brand kosher salt, reduce the salt to 1 tablespoon. On sunny days over 85 degrees, the ribs will cook faster, and you should check them for doneness after 3½ hours of cooking.
Instructions
- Combine 1½ tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons pepper, and 1½ teaspoons granulated garlic in bowl. Place 2 trimmed racks St. Louis–style spareribs on rimmed baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Flip ribs meaty side down. Sprinkle bone side of ribs with about one-third of spice mixture. Flip ribs and sprinkle meaty side with remaining two-thirds of spice mixture.
- Open bottom vent of charcoal grill completely. Arrange 40 charcoal briquettes, 2 briquettes wide, around half of perimeter of grill, overlapping slightly so briquettes are touching, to form C shape. Place second layer of 40 briquettes, also 2 briquettes wide, on top of first. (Completed arrangement should be 2 briquettes wide by 2 briquettes high.)
- Starting 2 inches from 1 end of charcoal C, place 5 wood chunks on top of charcoal 2 inches apart. Place 1 disposable aluminum pan in center of grill, running lengthwise into arc of charcoal C. Pour 6 cups water into disposable pan.
- Light chimney starter filled with 10 briquettes (pile briquettes on 1 side of chimney so they catch). When coals are partially covered with ash, use tongs to place them on one end of charcoal snake.
- Set cooking grate in place, then clean and oil grate. Place ribs side by side on grill, meaty side up, lengthwise over water pan. Cover grill (position lid vent over ribs) and open lid vent completely. Cook, without opening grill, for 2 hours.
- Open grill and rotate ribs 180 degrees. Continue to cook, without opening grill, for 1½ to 2 hours longer.
- Meanwhile, whisk ¼ cup gochujang, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ginger ale, and 2 tablespoons sesame oil together in bowl until sugar is dissolved; set aside.
- Transfer ribs to rimmed baking sheet, meaty side up. Brush meaty side of each rack with 3 tablespoons glaze. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes. Sprinkle ribs with 2 thinly sliced scallions and remaining 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds. Cut ribs between bones. Serve, passing remaining glaze.
for the ribs and rub
for the glaze
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