Pork Ribs
intro
Fall-off-the-bone pork ribs coated in a rich savory-sweet soy glaze, a cozy Cantonese home-style dish perfect for shared family meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Blanch the ribs
Place 1000g cut pork spare ribs in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat (around 8 minutes). Boil for 3 minutes to release grey scum, then remove ribs with tongs, rinse thoroughly under warm running water to wash off surface residue, and set aside. Do not rinse with cold water, as this will toughen the meat fibers.
Caramelize sugar and aromatics
Heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat (160C/320F), add 30g rock sugar, stir constantly for 2 minutes until sugar melts into a deep amber caramel. Add ginger slices, crushed garlic, star anise, and cinnamon stick, stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the caramel.
Sear and deglaze ribs
Add the blanched, patted-dry ribs to the Dutch oven, toss continuously over medium heat for 4 minutes until every rib surface is evenly coated in caramel and lightly browned on all edges. Pour in 45ml Shaoxing wine, stir for 1 minute to scrape up any browned bits from the pot bottom and let the alcohol evaporate fully.
Slow braise the ribs
Pour in 60ml light soy sauce, 15ml dark soy sauce, and 800ml boiling water (water should just cover the ribs). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat (around 3 minutes), then turn heat to the lowest setting (120C/250F), cover the pot with a tight lid, and braise undisturbed for 60 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid during braising to maintain consistent internal temperature.
Thicken the glaze
After 60 minutes of braising, remove the lid, turn heat up to medium (160C/320F), stir the ribs occasionally as the sauce reduces for 8-10 minutes, until the liquid thickens into a shiny, sticky glaze that coats each rib evenly, with roughly 60ml of thick sauce remaining in the pot.
Garnish and serve
Transfer the glazed ribs to a warm serving platter, sprinkle evenly with 10g toasted white sesame seeds and 15g chopped scallion greens. Let rest for 3 minutes before serving to allow the glaze to set slightly.
Tips
2.If Shaoxing rice wine is unavailable, substitute with dry sherry; avoid salted cooking wine, which will make the dish overly salty.
3.For extra authentic Cantonese flavor, add 1 small dried tangerine peel during braising to cut through the pork’s richness.
Made these for a football watch party potluck last weekend and people were literally coming up to me asking for the recipe the whole second half. The glaze has that perfect balance of salty and sweet, no weird fancy ingredients needed, which I love. Total game changer for easy party food, 10/10, will be making these for every cookout from now on.
OMG I was so nervous to make ribs for the first time because I always thought they needed hours and hours in a smoker, but this recipe was so straightforward! Took exactly 1 hour 35 minutes like the recipe said, no guesswork, and they turned out juicy and flavorful. My roommate said they’re better than the takeout ribs we get from the place down the street.
Has anyone tried making a big batch of these for weekly meal prep? I’m wondering how well they reheat, I’m always looking for high protein lunches that don’t get soggy in the fridge.
These are SO good! I added a tiny pinch of five spice to the glaze because I had it in my pantry and it elevated the flavor so much. Even my super picky husband who only eats BBQ ribs said these are a new favorite.
Followed the recipe exactly except I used low-sodium soy sauce because that’s all I had, and it still came out amazing. No overly salty taste, the meat was pull-apart tender, the glaze caramelized perfectly at the end. Super easy even for a guy who burns toast half the time lmao.
Wait, do I need to use a Dutch oven for this? I only have a regular large stock pot with a lid, will that work okay?
Made these for my kid’s post-game dinner last night and the whole team ended up staying to eat! I had to run back to the store mid-cook because I didn’t have enough ribs, oops. The sweet soy glaze is chef’s kiss, even the kids who say they “hate Asian food” went back for seconds.
I made these last night and they were great, but I wished they had a little kick! Has anyone tried adding chili flakes or sriracha to the glaze? I want to make them again this weekend but add some heat.
Made these for my husband’s first birthday as a married couple and he said it’s the best meal I’ve ever made him. I was worried I’d mess them up because I’m still learning to cook, but the steps were so simple and the cook time was totally accurate. We’ll be making these for date nights all the time now!
How expensive is this to make? Ribs are usually a little pricy at my grocery store, but I’m trying to make a nice birthday dinner for my roommate on a tight budget.
Wait, is there a way to make this with a different protein? I don’t eat pork, but the glaze sounds so good I want to try it with something else!
Let me start by saying I never leave recipe reviews, ever. But these ribs? They’re so good I had to make an account to leave a 5 star. I made them last night for family dinner, my kids loved it, even my grandpa who says “nothing tastes as good as the old days” had two full servings. The meat was so tender it slid right off the bone, the glaze was sticky and perfectly balanced, no weird ingredients. 10/10 no notes.
Made this on a rainy Saturday when I didn’t feel like leaving the house, and it made the whole apartment smell like absolute heaven for hours. The cook time felt like nothing because the smell was so good the whole time, and the end result was even better than I imagined. Perfect cozy weekend meal.
Is there any way to cut down the cook time? I get home from work at 6 and want to have dinner on the table before 8, but 1 hour 35 minutes feels a little tight for weeknights, especially since I have to help my kid with homework right after I get home.
I brought these to my office potluck today and they were gone in 10 minutes flat. People were scraping the pot to get the last bits of the glaze, I’m not even kidding. I’ve already sent the recipe to three of my coworkers who were begging for it. This one is going into my permanent potluck rotation for sure.
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with just a hot plate and a cheap pot I got from the campus store, and it still turned out insane. I didn’t even have fresh garlic, I used jarred minced garlic and it was still so good. Super easy, minimal cleanup, way better than the dining hall food I’ve been surviving on all semester.
I’ve tried like 6 different soy braised rib recipes online and this one is by far the best. The ratio of soy to sugar to aromatics is perfect, not too sweet, not too salty, and the ribs get so tender without getting mushy. I will say I added a little extra toasted sesame oil at the end for nuttiness, which was chef’s kiss.