Terriyaki-Glazed Ribs

These ribs use a pressure cooker to skip the hours of low-and-slow smoking and get straight to tender. Twelve minutes under high pressure turns tough pork ribs into fall-off-the-bone meat, then an overnight marinade in a sweet-salty teriyaki glaze builds all the flavor before a quick finish on the grill.

The glaze is a four-ingredient powerhouse: brown sugar for caramelization, soy sauce for salt, ketchup for tang, and hoisin for that deep, fermented sweetness. Together they create a sticky, lacquered coating that chars beautifully over charcoal.

Marinating for 12 to 24 hours isn’t optional. The pressure-cooked meat is tender but bland on its own. That long soak is where all the teriyaki flavor penetrates.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the cooling step after pressure cooking. Hot ribs falling apart in the marinade makes a mess and they won’t absorb the glaze evenly.
• Grill over medium-hot heat, not blazing. The sugar in the marinade burns fast at high temperatures.
• Brush with reserved marinade several times during grilling to build up layers of glossy glaze.
• Mix charcoal with wood chunks if you can. The smoke flavor in those few minutes on the grill adds the depth the pressure cooker can’t provide.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of fresh grated ginger and minced garlic to the marinade for more complexity.
• Use this same marinade on grilled chicken thighs or wings.
• Finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions for presentation.