Grilled Pork Ribs with Lemongrass-Garlic Marinade

*Good To Know*

• What type of Grill should I use?
  You can use your oven, barbecue or even air fryer (with grill feature). I used my indoor grill (since it was a rainy day).
• What is silverskin and why do I need to remove it?
  It is the white membrane or connective tissue on the bone-side of the ribs. You don’t have to remove it but it will result in a less flavourful texture since this tissue does not soften during grill time. Instead, it becomes tough and chewy in texture. If the entire rack of ribs is grilled whole, the connective tissue curls the rack. By removing the silverskin, it ensures the ribs grill nice and flat.
• How long should I marinate the meat for tenderness?
  Minimum 2 hours but as long as up to 24 hours (or if you like to prepare well ahead, you can freeze up to 4 months and thaw it in the fridge while it continues to marinate). The apple juice in this recipe will help break down the meat to soften it for juicy tenderness. Another tip is to grill your meat to an internal temperature of 195°F (90.6°C). Note that ribs are fully cooked at an internal temperature of 145°F however, at this point the meat is not rendered soft yet. To get a juicy tender bite, cook to internal temperature of 195°F.
• What is lemongrass and where can I find it?
  Fresh lemongrass looks like a stalk with long grass blades and is also known as barbed wire grass (because of its harmless ‘razor’ like grass blades). Its scent can be described as a pleasant citrus scent, similar to a mix of ginger, mint and lemon. It’s a common herb used in vietnamese or thai cooking. Lemongrass can be purchased fresh or frozen (minced & whole).
  Using frozen minced lemongrass is preferred for the purpose of convenience. You can mince fresh lemongrass if that’s what you prefer (or if you can’t find it in the frozen aisle). To learn how to mince fresh lemongrass, check out my how-to section here.
• What is Fish Sauce? How to choose a good one?
  These days, fish sauce seems to be a well-known condiment and is a go-to staple in asian cuisine. It’s made with anchovies (or squid) that have been covered in salt/ water and fermented in wooden barrels for a couple of years. By doing so, the umami taste you get in the fish sauce is what brings out a different note of salty / earthy flavour in a dish and is uniquely delicious! Some may not be fond of its distinct ‘fishy’ or pungy smell, but once cooked, the flavour is more prominent than the smell. It may be tempting to buy fish sauce that is cheap in price, however, I recommend buying fish sauce at a mid to premium price for better quality. Choose fish sauce bottled in glass (not plastic) and one that has been imported from Vietnam ( if it says “Phu Quoc” or made in “Phu Quoc” even better since that’s a famous area where a lot of the fish sauce is made). Look for an amber colour and avoid the dark brown coloured fish sauce.