Festive & Seasonal Meat & Game

Sweet Chili and Cranberry Glazed Ribs

Sticky pork ribs marinated in warm spices, slow-cooked in cranberry juice, then glazed with a sweet and spicy chilli cranberry sauce. Perfect festive centrepiece.

5 (3 reviews)
By Ricky Robinson Updated December 15, 2022

These festive ribs are a proper showstopper for your Christmas table. The marinade combines ground ginger and allspice, coating the meat in warm, aromatic spices that work beautifully with pork.

What makes these ribs special is the slow cooking method. The meat simmers gently in cranberry juice along with fresh ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, and allspice berries. This keeps the ribs moist whilst infusing them with deep, festive flavours that go right through to the bone.

The cranberry juice does more than add flavour. It keeps the meat tender and creates a subtle sweetness that balances the spices perfectly.

After the slow cooking, the ribs get coated in a sticky glaze made from chilli jam, cranberry sauce, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, and lime juice. It takes twenty to thirty minutes of boiling to get the glaze thick and glossy, but it is worth the wait.

Sweet Chili and Cranberry Glazed Ribs recipe image
Sweet Chili and Cranberry Glazed Ribs

The glaze itself is a brilliant combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy. The chilli jam brings a gentle heat that does not overwhelm, whilst the cranberry sauce and brown sugar create a rich sweetness. Honey adds body and shine, soy sauce brings depth and savoury notes, and lime juice cuts through with a bright acidity that keeps everything balanced.

When you roast the glazed ribs at high heat, they develop a beautiful sticky coating with caramelised edges. The meat should be tender enough to pull away easily, and the glaze creates that satisfying stickiness that makes ribs so good. You will want to turn them halfway through the final roasting to ensure even coverage and colour on all sides.

This recipe has become a proper tradition in my house at Christmas. The flavours suit the season perfectly, and the preparation is straightforward enough that you can enjoy the process rather than stress about it. Make these once and you will understand why they keep coming back year after year.

Sweet Chili and Cranberry Glazed Ribs

Chilli jam Cinnamon Pork
Total Time 3 hrs 45 min
Servings 4 servings
Calories 685 cal
Protein 42g

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Brush
  • Oven
  • Saucepan
  • Foil
  • Roasting Dish

Instructions

  1. 1
    Begin by tossing the ribs in the ground ginger and all spice, season well then cover and marinate for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours) in the fridge.
  2. 2
    Heat the oven to 160C then tip the ribs into a roasting dish along with the star anise, cinnamon stick, ginger slices, and all spice berries. Pour over the cranberry juice and top up with water if necessary to ensure the ribs are covered. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, remove the ribs from the oven, uncover and pour away the cooking liquid. Gently pat the ribs dry with some kitchen roll.
  3. 3
    To make the glaze, pour all of the ingredients into a saucepan and boil until thick and sticky. This should take around 20 to 30 minutes.
  4. 4
    Turn the oven up to 200C and put the ribs back into a roasting tin, foil lined this time. Cover the ribs with the glaze, using a brush to ensure they are completely coated, and cook for 30 minutes (turning after 15 minutes). At the end of the cooking time the ribs should be sticky and glossy.
Ricky Robinson - Recipe Author
Ricky Robinson

Home cook sharing delicious recipes with a focus on flavour and simplicity.

More About Ricky Robinson Follow on Instagram

Serving Suggestions

Serve with roasted vegetables and buttery mashed potatoes. These ribs also work brilliantly as part of a festive buffet spread.

Variations

For a less spicy version, reduce the chilli jam to 150g and add an extra 150g of cranberry sauce. You can also try using maple syrup instead of honey for a different sweetness.

Sweet Chili and Cranberry Glazed Ribs recipe image

Rate & Review

5 • 3 reviews

Did you make this? What did you think?

5★
3
4★
0
3★
0
2★
0
1★
0

Share this recipe:

Never miss a recipe

Get my latest recipes and food inspiration delivered to your inbox weekly.

Completely free. Unsubscribe at any time.