Easy Sticky Pork Ribs – So Good, Baked with Honey & Marmalade

These sticky pork ribs are pure retro magic. Based on a 1970s Australian Women’s Weekly recipe, they’re sweet, savoury, and slow roasted to sticky perfection. Glazed with honey, marmalade, and warming spices, they’re incredibly easy to make—and even easier to love. Whether you serve them with steamed rice or on their own, these ribs are guaranteed to steal the show. If you love easy oven-baked meals, check out my Baked Parmesan Crumbed Chicken—crispy, golden, and served with slaw and corn for a balanced dinner.

Sticky Pork Ribs – Honey & Marmalade Glazed (1970s Classic)

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 3

This retro gem from a 1970 newspaper cutout of the Australian Women’s Weekly is a family favourite for a reason. These pork ribs are oven-roasted until tender, then basted in a sweet, sticky glaze made from honey, marmalade, and warming aromatics. The result? Fall-apart ribs with bold flavour and an irresistible golden finish.

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Ingredients

 

• 2 kg 4 lbs pork spareribs (or baby back ribs, riblets)
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ¾ cup water 175 ml
• ¼ cup honey 125ml
• ½ cup orange marmalade 125ml
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ tsp ground ginger

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F) – conventional (no fan).
• Remove membrane from the back of the ribs if present.
• Place ribs meaty side down on a greased shallow tray and roast for 30 minutes.
• Turn ribs over, reduce oven to 180°C (350°F) and cook for another 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a bowl, combine soy sauce, water, honey, marmalade, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, pepper, and ground ginger. Stir well.
• After the 45 minutes, pour off excess fat, then pour glaze over ribs.
• Return ribs to the oven and cook for another 60 minutes, basting frequently:
• Start basting after 20 minutes
• Then baste every 10 minutes
• Turn ribs occasionally to coat both sides
• Ribs are done when they’re sticky, caramelised, and tender.
• Serve with steamed rice or your favourite sides.

Video

Notes

• These are sticky, sweet, and savoury ribs with a deep golden glaze.
• If using thinner, smaller ribs, cover with foil during the first 30 minutes at 220°C, then again during the 180°C phase for 30 minutes.
• Reduce temperatures by 20°C for fan-forced ovens.
• Glaze thickens as it bakes—don’t skip basting!
• Leftovers reheat well and taste even better the next day.