Added to Basket
The Pantry
Recipes
Guides
News & posts
Published 27/04/2026
3:35
Serves 3
Medium

Vietnamese pork ribs with smacked cucumber salad

Cooked with Vietnamese spices until soft and tender, these pork ribs are coated with a umami-rich caramel for deliciously sticky results.

Packed with flavour, we've paired our sticky Vietnamese ribs with a refreshing cucumber salad. The perfect selection of dishes for summer when the BBQ weather comes calling.

What you'll need...

For the ribs

  • 2 racks British outdoor-reared pork spare ribs (about 1kg)
  • 150g caster sugar
  • Juice 2 limes, plus 1 more lime, cut into wedges, to serve
  • 4 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 lemongrass stalks, bashed and roughly chopped
  • 1 small red chilli, finely chopped, or large pinch chilli flakes
  • 2 banana shallots, finely sliced
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tbsp chilli-garlic sauce or sriracha
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • Handful coriander leaves to serve

For the salad

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • Juice 1 lime
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 50g roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • Handful mint leaves, roughly chopped

Method

  1. In a medium pan, combine the sugar, juice of 1 lime and 3 tbsp water. Cook over a low-medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high, then continue to cook, swirling the pan carefully so the sugar cooks evenly, until the mixture becomes a deep amber caramel. Once the caramel is nice and dark, remove from the heat and immediately add 60ml water (be careful, it will splutter and bubble up). When the bubbling subsides, stir in the fish sauce, then set aside to cool a little.

  2. Heat the oven to 140°C fan/gas 3. Put the rib racks in a roasting tin. Mix half the fish sauce caramel with the soy sauce, garlic, lemongrass, chilli and shallots and rub over the ribs. Add the remaining lime juice, star anise, cinnamon stick and 100ml water to the tin, cover the ribs with a sheet of damp baking paper, then cover the tin with foil. Cook for 3 hours or until very tender, teasing open the foil and paper, then turning the ribs halfway through. Alternatively, cook in a slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

  3. While the ribs cook, make the salad. Halve the cucumbers lengthways and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon. Whack the cucumbers a few times with a rolling pin, hard enough so they split and break up a little, then roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, then set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse the cucumbers, then toss with the rest of the salad ingredients. Set aside in the fridge to marinate while you finish the ribs.

  1. Turn up the oven to 220°C fan/gas 9. Remove the ribs from the roasting tin (or slow cooker) and lay flesh-side up in a baking tray lined with foil. Mix the remaining fish sauce caramel with the chilli-garlic sauce and sesame oil, then liberally brush over the rib racks. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes or until sticky and slightly charred.

  2. Slice the ribs between the bones, sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve with the salad, any remaining glaze on the side and lime wedges for squeezing.

Shop the tools you will need

Secondary image for image of Stainless Steel Roasting Tin 32 x 43cm Main image for image of Stainless Steel Roasting Tin 32 x 43cm

£40.00

Secondary image for image of Glass Mixing Bowl with Lid 27.5cm Main image for image of Glass Mixing Bowl with Lid 27.5cm

£15.00

Secondary image for image of Professional X50 Chef Carving Knife 25cm / 10in Main image for image of Professional X50 Chef Carving Knife 25cm / 10in

£19.00

Secondary image for image of Stainless Steel Roasting Tin with Small V-Shape Rack 28.5cm x 41cm Main image for image of Stainless Steel Roasting Tin with Small V-Shape Rack 28.5cm x 41cm

£40.00

    Other Recipes

    Delicious beef empanadas

    Delicious beef empanadas

    Impress guests with homemade empanadas with flaky pastry and a deliciously tender and warmly spiced beef filling.

    Read More
    Strawberry Bakewell tart with thyme

    Strawberry Bakewell tart with thyme

    Juicy strawberries and a delicate hint of thyme give this classic bake a fresh, summery lift.

    Read More

    Building a sustainable future

    B Corporation Certified

    ProCook is proud to be certified as a B Corp™, joining a select but growing group of companies committed to using business as a force for good.

    Learn more

    ProCook is honoured to be recognised as a Which? Recommended Provider for Furniture and Homewares. When you purchase from us, you can rest assured that you're getting a truly exceptional product that has been carefully crafted to meet your every need.

    Life's A Beach

    ProCook is dedicated to supporting our long-term charity partner's mission to inspire action to reduce single use plastics. Together, we're striving to make a positive impact on the environment and create a sustainable future.

    Learn more