Gosh I love ribs, and it can be cooked any way, any style! Steamed, barbecued, pressure cooked, baked, braised, give me them all!!! I’ve shared a recipe for Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Beans, a popular dim sum dish that my family eats for dinner (well, because I make them). In today’s post, I will be sharing a braised sweet and sour ribs recipe that is appetizing, savory and SOOO good with white rice!
ASIAN INGREDIENTS NEEDED:
- Shaoxing wine: this is a Chinese rice wine with a caramel color and complex, yet unique flavor. Made with fermented rice, Shaoxing wine has been aged for years, resulting in an aromatic, slightly sweet taste that elevates any dish! I use Qian Hu’s Shaoxing Wine, but you can find a handful of other brands at the Asian supermarket with similar flavor profiles.
- Chinese black vinegar: This is also made with fermented rice and possesses a flavor profile that can be described as sour and smokey with a hint of sweetness. Its robust flavors can enhance the “umami-ness” in any Chinese dish! I use KONG YEN’s Black Vinegar, which is a product of Taiwan, but there are many other brands you can choose from.
- Rice vinegar: Commonly used in the Japanese cuisine, rice vinegar is also made from fermented rice. It is not as acidic as its vinegar counterparts, but rather, is known for its mildly sweet and sour flavors. I have trusted Kikkoman’s Rice Vinegar for many years, or decades even.
- Light and dark soy sauce: These ingredients likely do not need an introduction! They’re often used in Asian cuisine, in stir-fries, marinades and as a table condiment, to add saltiness and to impart a more complex flavor to dishes. Dark soy sauce is named as such because it features a darker brown-black hue that comes in handy for dishes that are usually presented in darker colors, like stir-fried beef with flat noodles! I’ve entrusted Kikkoman’s Lite Soy Sauce and Lee Kum Kee’s Dark Soy Sauce for many years.
If you’ve tried my recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment below and/or tag me in your food pictures on social media with @rackoflam and #rackoflam. Also don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for detailed recipe videos!
Chinese-style Sweet and Sour Ribs (糖醋排骨) Recipe
This is a Chinese take on one of our favorite cuts of pork. Coated with a sweet and sour sauce made with sugar and black vinegar, you'll need one, or two, bowls of rice with this dish!
Equipment
- 1 large sauté pan (mine is 3 quarts)
- 1 large stock pot
Ingredients
- 2 – 2.5 lbs spare ribs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 large thumb ginger sliced
- 3 stalks scallions halved or cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 cup black vinegar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ⅛ cup white sugar
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- water for parboiling and braising ribs
OPTIONAL GARNISHMENTS
- sesame seeds
- chopped scallions
Instructions
PARBOILING RIBS:
- Place rib pieces into a stock pot, then fill with enough water to fully submerge the ribs. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, then turn off the fire, discard the scummy water and rinse the ribs until clean. Drain thoroughly and set ribs aside on paper towels.
COOKING RIBS:
- Heat oil on a large sauté pan (over medium heat) swirling to coat evenly.
- Add rib pieces, ginger slices and scallions, then stir fry until the ribs are slightly browned (3- 4 minutes)
- Add Shaoxing wine along the rim of the pan, then stir-fry the ingredients to deglaze the pan.
- Add black vinegar, rice vinegar and white sugar, then mix until the ingredients are incorporated with the ribs.
- Add light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, then continue to mix until the ribs are coated with the sauce.
- Add enough water (I added about 1.5 cups) to level with the ribs, then close the lid and bring the water to a boil. Immediately turn the heat to low and braise the ribs for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, taste the sauce and adjust accordingly. If it is not sour enough, add more black vinegar. If it is not sweet enough, add more white sugar.
- Turn the heat to high to thicken the sauce to your liking. Make sure to continue stirring the ingredients to avoid them from burning.
- Plate the ribs, then top with optional sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Enjoy!
