Lamb spare ribs that are simmered and then oven-baked in a delicious sticky BBQ sauce and honey glaze are the perfect finger-licking dish.
Whilst these ribs take around an hour and a half to prepare and cook, they are very easy and taste wonderful!
Sticky Lamb Ribs
I love cooking and eating ribs, I've got obvious dishes like my take on Chinese takeaway style spare ribs and oven baked bbq sauce glazed ribs, as well as less common ideas like slow cooker char siu ribs and even apricot glazed bacon ribs.
These beautiful, sticky BBQ sauce glazed lamb spare ribs definitely fall into the "less common" category.
The meat has pretty much everything that you could want from ribs! You have the glorious flavour of lamb and a fantastic combination of tender meat, a little bit of slightly chewy bits and some exceptional crispy lamb fat.
All of that is complemented by a superb BBQ sauce and honey glaze flavoured with rosemary and dried mint.
And all of this loveliness can be yours in right around 90 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What BBQ sauce should I use?
Honestly, you should use your favourite BBQ sauce, but be mindful that we are adding extra honey. As a result, you should avoid anything too sweet or anything that says honey on the front.
I've experimented with a few when testing out this recipe, and Brewdog's Punk IPA was my favourite. It is zingy and offers a lovely acidity, which is the perfect foil for the honey and rich lamb meat.
Stubbs also makes a great BBQ sauce, and Tesco stocks a great Kentucky BBQ sauce that worked well.
Why do you boil the ribs first?
Lamb fat needs a little bit of a helping hand to cook down, and bringing the ribs to a boil allows that to happen without hours of long, slow roasting.
Can I make these in advance?
Whilst it is safe to cook these, refrigerate them and reheat them, they are not at their best when reheated.
Serving Suggestions
As far as I am concerned, these delicious sticky lamb spare ribs need some form of potato side, a little extra BBQ sauce and some pickles to cut through the richness of the meat.
In the pictures on this page, I have gone for some baked potato wedges and some gherkins.
But you have plenty of options out there, everything from crispy fried new potatoes to chip shop-style chips or even some air fryer French fries.
If you fancy something a little different, how about giving these fantastic fried polenta chips a whirl?
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Oven.
- 24cm or 10" saucepan.
- 15cm or 6" saucepan.
- Baking tray.
- Cooling rack.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Tin foil.
- Pastry brush.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
Lamb Spare Ribs Recipe in Sticky BBQ sauce
Ingredients
- 1 kg Lamb Ribs 8-10 Ribs
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1½ L Water Or enough to cover the ribs
For the BBQ Glaze:
- 125 ml BBQ Sauce ½ Cup
- 2 tablespoon Honey 40g
- 1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mint
- ½ teaspoon Celery Salt
Instructions
- Place the ribs in a 24cm or 10" saucepan, sprinkle over the salt and pour over the water. Set the heat to medium, bring the pan to a boil (fairly slowly), then turn off the heat and allow the ribs to sit in the water for 10-15 minutes.Bringing the pot to the boil should take around 25-30 minutes.
- Add all of the ingredients for the glaze to a 15cm or 6" saucepan, and bring it to a boil, stirring to combine, then remove from the heat. Do this whilst the ribs are sitting in the boiling water.
- Drain the ribs, making sure you skim off any foam before you throw out the water, and allow them to steam dry in a colander for 5 minutes.
- Line a baking tray with foil (this helps when it's washing-up time), and add a cooling grid. Transfer the ribs to the grid, brush them all over with the glaze and transfer them to the oven.Cook for 20 minutes at 220°C or 430°F for 20 minutes
- Remove the ribs from the oven, brush with the remaining glaze and return them to the oven for a final 15 minutes.