Spicy Honey Glazed Lamb Ribs
I can’t get enough cocktail party apps this time of year and these Spicy Honey Glazed Lamb Ribs are a perfect handheld treat. So tasty, and a perfect combo of classy, easy to make, and crazy delicious that they are great to bring to your next holiday get together. The Sichuan flavors are totally unexpected and will wake everyone up and get the party started.
The inspiration for this recipe
I wanted these to be spicy and sticky. When you think ribs, you often think sticky sweet, but those flavors are not typically associated with lamb. Lamb ribs are not really common, so I wanted to bring the sticky sweet flavors from pork ribs over to these lamb ribs. But with a classic TFimB twist of course! I went with Sichuan peppercorns to make these ribs mouth-numbingly spicy and so addictive!
The key to these spicy honey glazed lamb ribs is finding the right cut of Lamb. You don’t want rib chops or a rack of lamb, they are sometimes called Denver ribs or spare ribs. I had to call around to a few local stores to find them, if you have a butcher near you they will be happy to help! The other key is the Sichuan peppercorns which can also be hard to find. You can buy them here!
Creating the spice blend
I usually can’t get sichuan peppercorns ground so I have to smash them up myself in a mortar and pestle. This mixture also has cumin, coriander, salt, chili flakes, black pepper, and cinnamon. I don’t always grind my own spices, but when I do, I always think I need to do it more! The flavor is so much better!
Making the cooking liquid for the spicy honey glazed lamb ribs
Just mix the salt, spices, celery, soy sauce, sesame oil, and shaoxing wine in a baking dish with the lamb. I know what you are thinking, these are spicy honey glazed lamb ribs, where is the honey? Just wait.
Baking the spicy honey glazed lamb ribs
Bake at 325 for about an hour and a half, mixing them around occasionally so they brown evenly on all sides. After about an hour and a half they are super tender.
Serving the spicy honey glazed lamb ribs
I made a quick sauce of honey, soy sauce, and lime. Pour this over the spicy honey glazed lamb ribs, then stack them up on the plate. This enhanced the sweet and sticky flavors of the ribs, and also helped the cilantro and sesame seeds stick to the outsides of the ribs. I told you to wait for the honey!
And finally, a dusting of chili flakes, sesame seed, and cilantro
These spicy honey glazed lamb ribs came out so good. The sichuan pepper adds that awesome tingly sensation and the honey balances the heat.
Perfect bite sized ribs that have a classy feel but retain that sticky tender rib essence.
Twists on this dish
If you don’t like Sichuan peppercorns, I get it, they do have a unique taste that takes a bit to get used to. You could do these spicy honey glazed lamb ribs with just regular black pepper and it will still taste good, they just won’t be as unique or interesting. I would suggest starting with a smaller amount of the sichuan peppercorns just to see if you like it. Then next time you make it add a little more!
You could also do this with pork spare ribs. They would probably just need to cook in the oven a bit longer.
If you want to make this ahead, cook the ribs until tender then refrigerate. Warm before serving and pour on the sauce and garnishes.
If you are looking for more great lamb recipes, check out my lamb bulgogi bolognese, or these jalapeno feta lamb kabobs!
Sichuan Honey Glazed Lamb Ribs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lamb ribs about 12 ribs
Spices
- 2 tablespoons sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flake
Lamb cooking liquid
- 1/2 teaspoon pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 1/2 cup shaoxing wine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 ribs celery chopped
Honey glaze
- 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
Garnish
- sesame seeds
- chopped cilantro
- chili flake
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Cut the ribs into individual ribs and place into a baking dish. season with a light sprinkle of salt, but go easy because there are lots of salty ingredients.
- Grind the spices and rub all over the ribs.
- Add the cooking liquids to the baking dish along with the celery and stir well to combine.
- Place into the oven and cook one hour. Flip and continue cooking another half hour to an hour or more depending on desired doneness. Flip occasionally to brown (the parts above the cooking liquid will get some color in the oven.) and add liquid if needed.
- Remove from the oven.
- Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, and honey. Place the ribs on the serving dish and top with the honey sauce.
- Sprinkle on the sesame seeds, cilantro and additional chili flakes as desired.
What would you pair this with for a meal.
I roasted green beans and sweet potatoes cubes.
I love to eat my colors, and this meal will complete my food preference.
Mashed potatoes
I’ve made this dish twice now — and it’s been an incredible success. If you push past the 1.5h mark overall you’ll get a more tender meat, well worth the wait!
A question: what is the use/benefit of the celery? It’s all melted down in the sauce afterwards and seemed like a loss to me, unless it’s really there for the seasoning only? Would be interesting to know.
Thanks!
Thats awesome! Yes, the celery is there for flavor. I think it would still be good without it but I like the subtle flavor it adds. You could also sub with celery seed or celery salt if you would rather.
So is a rib the same as a lamb chop? Or a different product?
It is indeed meat from the same place. A lamb chop usually includes a piece of spine or rib bone.
First time ever cooking lamb ribs and this recipe was magnificent! I would try it with pork ribs too, the sweet & spicy combo kicked a$$. I was a bit lazy and skipped the final lime+honey step, but because I baked them lid-on, there was a load of lovely sauce and it didn’t need the moisture or glaze. Didn’t miss the tang but I’m sure it’s fab too. Served with roasted sweet potato bites which swam in the sauce and tasted divine. Will 💯 make this again.