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Fried Sticky Ribs

Published: Dec 28, 2021 · Modified: Aug 29, 2022 by Derek Wolf · This post may contain affiliate links · 38 Comments

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Fried Sticky Ribs are everything you love about pork ribs, but taken to the next level. I did everything I could think of to make these ribs as flavorful as possible, and let’s just say they are maxed out! I marinated them, smoked them and then fried them! One bite of these deep fried ribs let’s you experience the tender juicy inside with a thin crispy outside, all coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. So. Freaking. Delicious!

Fried Sticky Wings plated and served.

Preparing Fried Sticky Ribs

As mentioned above, we will be doing ALL the things for these Fried Sticky Ribs. So, where do we start? With the marinade, of course. 

Now, these ribs don’t need to marinade overnight. We’ll simply do a quick marinade on them and let them soak for about four hours. Since we are cutting the slab of ribs into individual ribs, there will be plenty of surface area on each one to soak in enough of that marinade in a four hour period. 

Fried Sticky Wings getting arranged on the smoker.

Speaking of slicing into a slab of ribs, let’s go ahead and do that. However, before you start hacking away at these ribs, make sure to remove the silver skin on the bottom. It’s easiest to do when all the ribs are still together, so that you only have to pull off one long strip of silver skin instead of a million smaller pieces off each individual rib.

Marinade and Smoke

Alright, the silver skin is removed and the slab of ribs is now cut into individual pieces. We are well on our way to enjoying some Fried Sticky Ribs. Next up, we’ll mix together the marinade and then in a large bowl combine the ribs with the marinade. I hand mixed the ribs with the marinade to ensure each was covered. Now, set it in the fridge to soak in the flavor!

After the proper amount of time has passed, start your smoker and let it preheat. Then, remove the ribs from the fridge and discard the excess marinade. Place each rib onto your preheated smoker and then close the lid. Let them smoke. 

Putting the Fry in Fried Sticky Ribs to: Frying The Ribs

While the ribs smoke, let’s get ready for frying. For the frying process of this cook, I actually pulled out a second grill. You do not have to do this, but it make the process go a little faster for me. I started a fresh fire and let it coal up. Then, place your dutch oven on the grill to preheat and add the frying oil. 

For more fire fried foods, check out my Fried Pancetta Empanadas, Honey Garlic Sriracha Fried Wings and Panko Fried Wild Salmon.

Now, pull the ribs from the smoker, coat them in flour and let’s get frying pork ribs! I fried my Fried Sticky Ribs in batches because I didn’t want to overwhelming the dutch oven. 

During the frying process, I also made my sweet and spicy sauce. For this, go back to the smoker and mix together honey and sriracha. Close the lid on the smoker to let those ingredients melt and fuse together. 

Keep an eye on those Fried Sticky Ribs… Just a reminder… Because we don’t want to overcook them… I mean over fry them… You get it. 

Fried Sticky Wings looking absolutely delicious.

Recipe FAQs

How long do ribs take to fry?

Because these ribs have already been smoked and cooked to an internal temperature, we are only frying for a sticky crisp texture. A quick 2 to 3 minutes does the trick.

Should I boil my ribs first?

No. We smoke the ribs first for tender meat and amazing flavor.

How can I tell with my fried ribs are done?

The meat will be tender and soft to the touch, and have shrunk back, exposing the ends of the bones.

The MOST Delicious Fried Sticky Ribs

Put the freshly fried ribs in a large bowl and grab the sweet and spicy sauce from the smoker. Pour it over all the deep fried ribs and give it a good toss. That’s it! Now we’re ready to serve. I garnished mine with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Best enjoyed with friends and family! Cheers!

For more delicious recipes, check out my cookbook Food X Fire!

Needing more spice in your life? My spice line can help with that. Check them out here.

Fried Sticky Wings looking absolutely delicious.
Print Recipe
4.50 from 2 votes

Sticky Fried Ribs Recipe

Fried Sticky Ribs for the win!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time2 hrs
Marinade4 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 People
Calories: 3316kcal
Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

Ribs:

  • 2 Racks of Ribs cut into single cutlets
  • Sesame Seeds for garnish
  • Chopped Scallions for garnish

Marinade:

  • 1.25 cups Soy Sauce low sodium
  • ½ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
  • 2.5 tbsp Garlic Chili Paste
  • 2.5 tbsp Honey
  • 2 tbsp Minced Garlic

Frying:

  • 1 qt Frying Oil
  • 3 cups Flour
  • Sriracha Honey Sauce:
  • ½ cup Honey
  • 1.5 tbsp Sriracha Sauce

Instructions

  • If you have not prepared them already, pull off the membrane from the back of the ribs and slice them into individual bones. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the marinade then place all of the ribs into the bowl. Mix together thoroughly, cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.
  • Preheat your Oklahoma Joe’s Smoker to 275F for indirect cooking. Add some hickory wood chunks for added smoke flavor if desired.
  • Add your ribs to the smoker and cook them for 1-2 hours (check for desired tenderness) making sure to flip them half way through the cook. Once the ribs are done, pull them off, cover them and set them aside. Let your smoker cool down to 225F, then add a basting skillet with the ingredients for the Sriracha Honey Sauce. Let that slowly smoke until it is runny and warm. Once warm, pull aside and wait to use.
  • Preheat another grill/fire to direct high heat cooking (about 400F). Add a large skillet or dutch oven to the grill to preheat for 2 minutes, then carefully fill it with frying oil. Make sure to add enough oil so that you can fully immerse the ribs. Bring the frying oil up to 350F. In another bowl, add the flour and then dredge your ribs by adding them to the flour and coating it well. Make sure to brush off any excess flour. Once all the ribs are dredged and the oil is ready, add the ribs to the frying oil to cook for 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown. Add ribs in small batches so as to not overcrowd the skillet. Once done, pull off and let cool on a paper town to drain any excess oil.
  • When all the ribs are done, place them in a large bowl and drizzle the Sriracha Honey Sauce over top. Toss them until they are well coated, then place them on a serving plate. Garnish with chopped scallion and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5Rack of Ribs | Calories: 3316kcal | Carbohydrates: 127g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 294g | Saturated Fat: 62g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 138g | Monounsaturated Fat: 81g | Trans Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 4292mg | Potassium: 780mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 10mg
Derek Wolf
Derek Wolf

Derek is the driving force behind Over the Fire Cooking. He started cooking with live fire in 2016 and decided to start a social media page so his friends and family could follow the journey. Fast forward to today and Over the Fire Cooking has spread across multiple platforms with millions now following Derek’s fire cooking journey. He’s a southern fellow who enjoys everything from classic BBQ to Central and South American inspired dishes. Whatever he’s cooking up, it’s guaranteed to be so freakin’ delicious!

Pork Recipes, Recipes Fried Ribs, Fried Sticky Ribs, Ribs, smoked, smoked ribs, smoking, Sticky Ribs

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. William OSullivan says

    December 29, 2021 at 5:03 am

    Question: Will the ribs be fully cooked after smoking for an hour if I just wanna eat them at that point?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      December 29, 2021 at 3:30 pm

      Yes they would! However they will be soft on the outside unlike normal smoked ribs that will develop a bark.

      Reply
      • Paula says

        December 30, 2021 at 1:18 pm

        If you don’t have a smoker what’s another way to do the sticky ribs?

        Reply
        • Derek Wolf says

          December 30, 2021 at 3:55 pm

          Yes! You can definitely make this in the oven and then fry them. Wont be “smoky” but that is fine. It will still be delicious.

          Reply
        • Tarah C. says

          January 21, 2022 at 3:41 pm

          Going to try this tomorrow! How long and what temp would you suggest for the oven route?

          Reply
  2. Dan says

    December 31, 2021 at 2:41 am

    Have you ever subbed potato starch for flour when frying? I’m making these ribs tomorrow and was thinking about trying the potato starch for the fry

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      December 31, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      I have not but it would be worth the try!

      Reply
  3. Mike P says

    December 31, 2021 at 1:29 pm

    I wrap ribs in foil(Texas crutch) to tenderize after an initial smoke. Do these come out tough without the foil wrap step in the cook?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      December 31, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      These ribs are tender but definitely not “fall off the bone.” If you’d like more of that, then Id recommend more traditional smoked ribs.

      Reply
  4. John says

    December 31, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    Yum! This looks so, so good. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Greg says

      January 01, 2022 at 12:24 am

      Derek…I have the smoker going but was thinking I’d like to smoke ribs tonight then fry tomorrow. Is that doable or should I just suck it up and fry tonight?

      Reply
      • Derek Wolf says

        January 02, 2022 at 4:26 pm

        That could definitely work! Might need to fry them a little longer to get them fully warmed, and I would smoked the ribs till they are 180F+ internal

        Reply
  5. Tim says

    January 09, 2022 at 12:57 am

    Having a hard time finding the garlic chili paste but I did find a garlic chili sauce…will that work and if so should I keep it at 2.5 tbsp? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      January 09, 2022 at 7:10 pm

      Yes that should be perfect!

      Reply
  6. T.J. says

    January 10, 2022 at 8:05 pm

    Looks amazing! Do you think this would also work with country style ribs?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      January 12, 2022 at 2:32 am

      Absolutely!

      Reply
  7. Jacob Featherston says

    January 15, 2022 at 3:15 pm

    Hey can you use an air fryer instead?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      January 18, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      Of course!

      Reply
  8. Lorenzo says

    January 15, 2022 at 11:22 pm

    Thanks for the recipe. Can’t wait try it out

    Reply
  9. Steve says

    January 18, 2022 at 1:14 am

    4 stars
    The ribs were good, really Asian taste. That aside I’d never smoked and fried and that provided a really nice texture and slight crunch. I think I’d like to try it in a no soy/terriyaki-ish sauce and marinade.

    Reply
  10. Tony says

    January 26, 2022 at 4:41 am

    Can I use a pellet smoker. And if so what temp

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      January 26, 2022 at 5:07 pm

      Yes, you can! Still follow my recipe as written, temperatures will remain the same.

      Reply
  11. Walt Ell says

    February 26, 2022 at 10:58 pm

    How would you go about using an oil less fryer for the frying portion ? Still Steve in flour ?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      March 04, 2022 at 5:31 pm

      I would cut out the flour in general and just air fry it out of the smoker. Then toss in the glaze.

      Reply
  12. Tim Ramirez says

    May 03, 2022 at 12:48 am

    Hello,
    The recipe looks great!
    One question are these baby back ribs or a St Louis cut spare rib?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      May 08, 2022 at 7:42 pm

      These were back ribs!

      Reply
  13. Joe says

    May 25, 2022 at 2:56 pm

    cant fins garlic chili paste. Anyway I could do minced garlic, chili powder and a recommendation for something to mix to make a paste?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      May 26, 2022 at 4:41 pm

      You could try some sriracha!

      Reply
  14. Thomas Deyo says

    June 08, 2022 at 1:32 pm

    Hey, thanks for sharing recipe! looks yummy

    Reply
  15. Candace says

    July 24, 2022 at 6:59 am

    Can I use a regular bbq to cook the ribs on before frying?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      July 25, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      Sure just make sure they are cooked indirectly!

      Reply
  16. Candace Morrison says

    July 24, 2022 at 8:03 am

    Can I use a bbq for the ribs?

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      July 25, 2022 at 3:43 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  17. Dan says

    October 20, 2022 at 9:33 pm

    Trying this recipe tomorrow looks great!!!! Only question is what kind of oil did u fry them in ???

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      October 20, 2022 at 10:08 pm

      We used peanut oil!

      Reply
  18. Undi says

    January 04, 2023 at 3:29 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe!
    Please could you tell me where you got the little pot you used for heating the sauce? Me like!

    Reply
    • Derek Wolf says

      January 05, 2023 at 6:25 pm

      From Lodge Cast Iron!

      Reply
  19. Tony Veit says

    February 13, 2023 at 12:21 pm

    Ribs turned into excellent! I won 1st place in appetizer contest at church superbowl party.
    They are a keeper!

    Reply

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