I have always been a big fan of properly cooked pork ribs!
This recipe is a bit of a play on my other pork vindaloo recipes. My kids all love it so I do make it quite often especially in the Summer months.
This is not a particularly spicy recipe though you could easily make the ribs a lot spicier by simply adding a bit more chili.
I usually make this in my barbecue but it is much easier and almost as good done in a low oven.
Try to find a spray bottle for the vinegar mixture as it will make life a lot easier for you.
Yield: 4
How To Make My Favourite Vindaloo Pork Ribs

Ingredients
- 4 racks of pork ribs
- 15 cloves garlic smashed into a fine paste
- 2 inches ginger – peeled and smashed into a paste
- 3 green chili peppers finely chopped
- FOR THE SPICE RUB
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 5 cloves
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 4 dried red chili peppers
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons soft brown sugar
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- FOR THE VINEGAR SPRAY
- 250ml Cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worchester Sauce
- The juice of 2 limes
- 2 squirts (or more) Tabasco
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Massage the ribs with the garlic, ginger and chili peppers and allow to marinate for 2 to 24 hours. The longer the better.
- Pre-heat your oven to about 125c.
- Place a dry frying pan over medium heat and pour in all of the spice rub ingredients except for the sugar.
- When the spices become warm to the touch, grind them to a fine powder with the brown sugar.
- Cover the ribs with this spice rub powder.
- Place the ribs on a rack in the oven and allow to cook for at least four hours.
- Combine the vinegar spray ingredients.
- After the pork ribs have been in the oven for about two hours, start spraying them from time to time with the vinegar. This will help keep them moist and will also give them the vinegar flavour that is so important in good vindaloo recipes.
- Serve the ribs dry or follow the sauce recipe for one of the vindaloo sauces on this site. Personally I prefer the ribs without any sauce!
Jennifer Silver
Friday 20th of May 2022
Really enjoyed this! I made a chutney with cape gooseberries and served it all alongside curried potato salad. Quite easy to put together, mostly hands off.
Dan Toombs
Tuesday 24th of May 2022
Really good to hear, thanks for letting me know. Dan
Lokesh Kalburgi
Thursday 9th of December 2021
What an amazing idea! I'm trying this recipe this weekend so fingers crossed I do it justice!
Hey when you meant "dry", does that mean it has a finish more like tandoori chicken etc?
Dan Toombs
Friday 10th of December 2021
Yes, by dry I mean with little or no sauce. I hope the meal goes well this weekend. Thanks Dan
Amberlee Engel
Wednesday 24th of June 2020
OMgosh. Are you a God, or just an inspired chef? As my daughter says, sodalicious.
Dan Toombs
Friday 3rd of July 2020
Hi Thanks very much, I am glad you are enjoying my recipes. Dan
Paul allamby
Friday 29th of May 2020
I'm going to try these this week. I'm lucky enough to have an offset smoker, so will smoke them for 6 hours with oak chunks. I'll let you know how it goes.
Dan Toombs
Saturday 30th of May 2020
Hi Paul Great to hear, I love my smoker too. Dan
Nan
Wednesday 11th of October 2017
Do you cover ribs when in oven?
Dan Toombs
Friday 13th of October 2017
Hi Nan
You can cover them with foil but I usually don't.
Thanks, Dan