Spare Ribs with Ketchup and Pineapple

Braised Spare Ribs with Ketchup and Pineapple are easy to make and a family favorite. They're hearty and delicious with a sweet and tangy sauce, perfect with steamed rice!

Yesterday, I went to a Filipino supermarket for my weekly grocery shopping and returned with a dozen bottles of Jufran banana ketchup. The store had this brand on sale, so I grabbed all the bottles they had on the shelves. Buy one, get one free—score!

I proudly showed G my bounty, but instead of the praise I expected, he was like, "Do you seriously need all this ketchup? They'll expire before you go through them." And I am like, "Boy, you are talking to a Filipina. We dip everything in ketchup and put ketchup in everything. Hello, Filipino-style spaghetti?"

And, of course, there is this spare ribs with ketchup and pineapple recipe, which happens to be one of the most mouthwatering dishes you'll ever make. It's hearty and tasty yet super easy to make with a simple list of ingredients.

The pork ribs turn out so tender and juicy, and the sauce is a delicious balance of sweet and tangy with hardly any effort; you'll be the heroine at the dinner table in no time! Plus, it's a great make-ahead dish and can be doubled or tripled easily to feed a large crowd.

Ingredient notes

• Pork- I love spare ribs in this recipe, but pork shoulder will work, too. Cut into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
• Salt and pepper- season the meat to enhance the taste
• Ginger- grate the ginger root and squeeze the juice to add flavor, but without bits to bite into You can also use ginger powder in a pinch.
• Sweet banana ketchup- to substitute tomato ketchup, add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the marinade for sweetness.
• Pineapple- As the packing liquid will be added to the marinade, choose pineapple chunks packed in juice, not heavy syrup. Reserve the juice to use in the recipe.
• Light soy sauce- adds salty and umami flavor. My favorite brand to use is Kikkoman.
• Oil- for sauteing aromatics and browning the meat
• Aromatics- chopped onions and minced garlic act as flavor base, adding depth

How to make spare ribs with ketchup and pineapple

1. Season spare ribs with salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, banana ketchup, and ginger juice in a large bowl. 
3. Add the spare ribs and massage to coat them fully. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, and drain, reserving liquid. Do not marinate too long, as the acids in the pineapple might denature the meat proteins and affect the texture.
4. Saute onions and garlic in a wide pan. Add spareribs and cook until lightly browned.
5. Add the reserved marinade and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer until meat is fork-tender and the sauce is reduced. 
6. Add pineapple chunks and cook until heated. Serve hot.

How to serve and store

• Serve with steamed rice or mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable dishes such as tortang talong for a delicious and filling lunch or dinner!
• To store for future meals, allow to cool completely and transfer into airtight containers or resealable bags. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• To reheat, place in a wide pan and heat over low heat to an internal temperature of 165 F.

More pork ribs recipes

Sinantomas

Steamed Spareribs with Black Beans

Pork Spareribs Macao-style Asado

Pork Ribs Adobo with Atsuete

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!

4 from 48 votes

Spare Ribs with Ketchup and Pineapple

Spare Ribs braised in ketchup are an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love. The fork-tender pork ribs and sweet and tangy sauce make a delicious main dish with steamed rice or mashed potatoes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Marinate: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Course: Main Entree

Print Pin It Email Recipe

4 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork spareribs, cut into 2-inch cubes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 thumb-size fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved
• 1 cup pineapple juice (from the canned pineapples)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup banana ketchup
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup water

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

• Season spare ribs with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Extract juice from grated ginger and discard the pressed ginger.
• In a large bowl, combine pineapple juice (reserved from the canned pineapples), soy sauce, banana ketchup, and ginger juice. 
• Add spare ribs and massage the marinade into the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Drain meat well and reserve liquid.
• In a pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened. 
• Add spareribs and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned.
• Add reserved marinade and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is fork-tender and the sauce is reduced. 
• Add pineapple chunks and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Serve hot.

Notes

• Do not marinate too long, as the acids in the pineapple might denature the meat proteins and affect the texture.
• As the packing liquid will be added to the marinade, choose pineapple chunks packed in juice, not heavy syrup.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 642kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 41g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 127mg, Sodium: 1218mg, Potassium: 802mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 225IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 3mg

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”