Chilli chicken ribs

Chicken ribs, you say? Yes, they’re real and they’re spectacular.

Credit: Adam Roberts

• serves

  6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Because we’re working with the very lean breast meat of the chicken, the chicken ribs lend themselves to hot and fast cooking or grilling for best results. Cook them too long and they’ll dry out and become chewy or tough.

Ingredients

• 16 chicken ribs, individually cut

Rub

 

• 2 tbsp mild chilli powder
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp agave sugar

Sauce

• 2 garlic cloves
• 250 ml medium hot sauce
• 1 piece of ginger (2 cm x 2 cm)
• 1 small habanero pepper
• juice of 1 lime
• 50 ml apple cider vinegar
• 100 g butter
• 1 tsp hoisin sauce

Dip

• 300 ml Japanese mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp hot sauce

Instructions

Combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Coat all the sides of the chicken ribs and set aside.

Preheat a barbecue smoker to 140°C (275°F). Smoke the ribs over indirect heat for 20 minutes. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir well to combine for 1–2 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour the sauce into a large mixing bowl. Dip each chicken rib into the sauce to fully coat and baste. Return the ribs to the smoker for a further 10 minutes. Apply another coat of basting sauce to the ribs and return to the smoker for a further 5 minutes.

Slice open one of the largest chicken ribs to ensure meat is cooked through before removing the ribs from the smoker. Serve with the dip.

Recipe and images from RIBS With Low & Slow BBQ Guide by Adam Roberts. RRP $45 (New Holland Publishers)

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Because we’re working with the very lean breast meat of the chicken, the chicken ribs lend themselves to hot and fast cooking or grilling for best results. Cook them too long and they’ll dry out and become chewy or tough.