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Cook’s Insider: Salty-Sweet Gochujang-Glazed Ribs

Plus, why you shouldn't bake cookies on a still-hot sheet

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July 7, 2026 6:06am EDT

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Gochujang-Glazed Ribs for a Charcoal Grill

Salty-Sweet Gochujang-Glazed Ribs

Bryan Roof

Deputy Food Editor

Houston’s smoked-meat scene is a category-defying, constantly evolving fusion of Texas tradition and diasporic cooking.

Gochujang-Glazed Ribs are among the house specialties that exemplify the combination of masterful technique and bold flavors that make Blood Bros. BBQ stand out in a city filled with boundary-pushing barbecue.

“Our menu is influenced by the flavors we grew up with,” pit master Quy Hoang tells me. “Houston is such a diverse city. We had friends from all backgrounds—Jamaican, Chinese, Vietnamese. You’d hang out at their house and end up eating all kinds of food.”

Barbecuing ribs is all about low-heat cooking, which breaks down the meat’s abundant, tough collagen while infusing it with smoke. Commercial smokers are primed for this: Their fireboxes are set away from the smoking chamber so that the meat cooks indirectly and stays moist while slowly tenderizing and soaking up smoke flavor over several hours.

But re-creating these conditions on a much smaller standard charcoal grill, as I intended to do for a homespun take on the Blood Bros. classic, is tricky because the ribs sit closer to the fire and can easily dry out and char. Plus, opening the lid to refuel allows heat to escape, disrupting the requisite steady low temperature. Read on to find out how to recreate Texas barbecue at home.

Featured Recipe

Gochujang-Glazed Ribs for a Charcoal Grill

Our take on this beloved Houston barbecue features smoky, tender meat lacquered with a salty-sweet glaze. Get the recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

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A charcoal snake—a C-shaped arrangement of charcoal briquettes that can burn for hours without interruption—is easy to set up and mimics the long, slow burn of a commercial smoker.

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Rubbing the ribs with a simple mix of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), sesame seeds, brown sugar, garlic, salt, and pepper creates an impressive bark.

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Placing the ribs on the grill bone side down and perpendicular to the arch of the snake shields their meaty sides from any direct heat so they don’t cook too quickly or char.

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A pan of water beneath the grill grate keeps the temperature stable and adds humidity that further prevents the ribs from drying out.

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Rotating the ribs once ensures even cooking, and the kettle quickly bounces back to its target temperature.

Recipe Developed by Bryan Roof

Bryan Roof is a deputy food editor at America’s Test Kitchen, host of On the Road, and a cast member of Cook’s Country TV and In the Test Kitchen. He pounds the pavement in far-flung corners of this great nation looking for stories about food, recipes, and the talented cooks who make it all happen.

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However, if we’re talking about real gelato—the kind bought in a gelateria, as opposed to a grocery store, and spooned out with a flat paddle—that gelato is a significantly different frozen dessert. Here’s the scoop on their differences.

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