Sweet and sour spare ribs

Name: Sweet and sour spare ribs
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 300 g Small pork rib pieces; 30 g Sugar; 300 ml Oil for frying; 5 ml Light soy sauce; 5 ml Oyster sauce; 5 ml Dark soy sauce; 2 g Chicken bouillon powder; 2 slices Ginger; 2 g Sesame seeds; 10 g Ketchup; 5 ml Chinkiang vinegar; 0.5 g Five-spice powder; 50 ml Hot water for dissolving sugar; As needed to stated water level Water for blanching and braising

Blanch and fry small rib pieces, then cook through and coat with a sweet-sour glaze.

~50 minestimated time1servings6clear steps

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Let’s make it.

Follow the food, not just the clock.

01
Blanch and drain the ribs
Cover the ribs and ginger with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim, reduce to a simmer and set a 2 min check. Lift out with a slotted spoon, discard ginger and foam, drain thoroughly and blot dry; blanching does not mean the meat is fully cooked.
Look for
The ribs are free of foam and surface water but still need further cooking.
Blanching ↗
02
Fry in batches until golden
Use a deep stable pan with oil reaching about two thirds up the ribs but below its safe fill limit. Choose a suitable smaller pan or work in batches. At about 170°C, lower the dried ribs with tongs and set a 3 min check. Remove when golden; never add water to the hot oil.
Look for
The ribs are pale golden outside and the oil remains controlled without scorching.
Deep-frying ↗
03
Dissolve sugar in another pan
In a separate clean pan, stir the sugar with the listed hot syrup water over low heat until dissolved. Do not cook it to a dark caramel or put this water into the frying-oil pan.
Look for
The sugar is dissolved without dark burnt caramel.
Mixing & beating ↗
04
Season and cook through
Add the fried ribs, vinegar, both soy sauces, oyster sauce, bouillon, ketchup and five-spice. Toss and add hot water to just cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and set a 5 min first check. Continue until cooked through and as tender as desired; do not reduce dry just because the alarm rings.
Look for
The ribs remain surrounded by liquid and are cooked through; larger pieces may need longer.
Simmering ↗
05
Check doneness and reduce
Check the thickest meat away from bone with a food thermometer for at least 63°C; the ribs also need a 3-minute rest after cooking. Once cooked, reduce over medium heat while turning until the glaze coats the ribs, then stop before the sugar burns.
Look for
Doneness has been checked and the shiny glaze clings to the ribs.
Reduction ↗
06
Rest and finish with sesame
Plate and set a 3 min rest reminder, then sprinkle with sesame. Wait until the rest is complete before eating; hot sugary glaze can burn.
Look for
The ribs have completed their safety rest and carry a glossy glaze.
Preparation ↗

Recipe sources & image information

Adapted from HowToCook / 糖醋排骨 · HowToCook contributors / Anduin2017/HowToCook · Unlicense

Bilingual editorial adaptation. Independently content-reviewed; not kitchen-tested. Project-generated images illustrate this recipe and its steps, rather than a user’s cooking result. Timing is an estimate; check actual ingredients, labels and doneness.