Tea-Smoked Spare Ribs with Five-Spice Glaze

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender pork spare ribs infused with smoky tea aroma and finished with a sticky, aromatic five-spice glaze. This Chinese-inspired healthy bowl recipe, ready in about 125 minutes, pairs pork spare ribs, Chinese black tea leaves, brown sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 70 min Cook: 55 min Serves 4 Chinese cuisine 450 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 lbs pork spare ribs
1/4 cup Chinese black tea leaves
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp five-spice powder
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, grated
2 scallions, sliced

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Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and pat dry 2 lbs pork spare ribs, then cut into individual ribs.
Step 2: In a bowl, combine 1/3 cup hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 tsp five-spice powder, and 2 tbsp brown sugar to make the glaze.
Step 3: Marinate ribs in half of the glaze for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight in the fridge.
Step 4: To prepare the tea-smoke, line a wok or deep pan with aluminum foil and spread 1/4 cup Chinese black tea leaves evenly over the foil. Place a rack above the tea leaves.
Step 5: Heat the wok over medium-high heat until the tea begins to smoke, about 5 minutes. Place the marinated ribs on the rack, cover tightly with a lid or foil, and smoke for 20 minutes.
Step 6: Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer ribs to a baking dish, brush with the remaining glaze, and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until ribs are tender and glaze is sticky.
Step 7: Garnish with 2 sliced scallions and serve immediately with steamed rice or greens.