Sticky Pork Ribs – Honey & Marmalade Glazed (1970s Classic)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 15 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.
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.