Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs

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Sweet and sour pork ribs is usually served as an appetizer in Chinese or Taiwanese restaurants. Typically served cold and is a fan favorite! Not only is the ribs pull apart tender, the tangy and sweet flavor is very addicting. The sauce is sticky and very fragrant from the Chinese black vinegar.

This recipe was inspired by Din Tai Fung’s sweet and sour pork ribs. My mom and grandma are huge fans of the Din Tai Fung version so I had to make them mine at home. The only difference is that mine are baked vs theirs is fried (more juicy and more fatty). Since I eat at home, I want to be healthier. However, if you want to skip the roast part in this recipe and fry instead, go for it 😀

Why do you wash the pork ribs?

In Chinese cooking, we prefer to have a cleaner taste when its comes to pork. Washing the pork can rid of any gaminess smell. Soaking the ribs in water for 15-30 minutes really helps remove some bone shards and blood from the bones. After soaking, you will see blood coming from the bones. For this recipe, you will need to make the ribs extra dry with a paper towel. If they are wet, they will not roast as well in the oven.

The sauce is the most important part!

The sweet and sour sauce for this recipe requires patience when it comes to melting the sugar and thickening the sauce at the end. The rock sugar provides a red tint to the ribs due to the caramelization of the sugars. In addition, the sugar and collagen from the pork ribs will help thicken the sauce when the heat is on high. There’s no need for cornstarch for this recipe.

Avoid substitutions for this recipe

If you don’t use the rock sugar and the Zhenjiang black vinegar, the flavor and cooking methods will vary. I highly recommend the Zhenjiang black vinegar as it is less sour and it gives the ribs a darker color as well. If you really can’t use rock sugar, you can use white sugar but no subs for the vinegar ◡̈

If your sauce is not thick enough:

After cooking on high for 10 minutes and you don’t see the sauce thickening to your likeness, take the ribs out. You will need to cook down the sauce on high heat and continue stirring for 5 to 10 minutes. This would boil the water out of the sauce the sugars and collagen of the pork would thicken it up.

Looking For More Delicious Chinese Appetizers?

• Air Fryer Chicken Yakitori – Sweet and savory chicken appetizers are great for lunch and dinner
• Shrimp Toast – the savory shrimp paste is so delicious on crispy toast!

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR SWEET & SOUR PORK RIBS:

To roast pork ribs:

• 2 pound pork ribs (bone-in)
• 2 tablespoon oil, to brush
• ½ teaspoon salt

Cooking:

• 2 tablespoon oil
• ¼ cup rock sugar (recommended for the deep red color)
• seared ribs
• 1 cup to 1 ½ cups water (pour enough water to cover the ribs)
• ¼ cup black vinegar (can not substitute with other vinegars)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon regular soy sauce
• 3 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine
• 4 slices ginger
• 3 green onions, white parts only

After 15 minutes of cooking on low heat:

• ½ cup rock sugar

At the end of cooking:

• add ⅓ cup black vinegar (adjust on how sweet and sour you like it)
• garnish with sesame seeds and green onions

STEPS TO MAKE THE SWEET & SOUR PORK RIBS:

To roast pork ribs:

1. Wash ribs with water and soak for at least 15 minutes, drain and pat until very dry. Place ribs on baking rack on top of a tray. Make sure they are evenly spaced out and not overcrowded.
2. Add a light even layer of salt on the ribs and brush some oil on the top. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Scrape off the black bits (blood) off the bones after baking. This method helps make the ribs less oily and removes the blood and impurities from the bones. Set aside ribs.

Cooking:

1. Start with adding sugar to cold oil in a pot on low-medium heat. Continue stirring until sugar has melted and caramelized (turned brown like soy sauce) on low-medium heat. This step is crucial and takes a lot of patience but is worth it! Cook slowly until the sugar melts and turns golden like a soy sauce color. Add roasted pork ribs and coat the ribs in sugar.
2. Then, add the following sauces: 1 cup to 1 ½ cup water (pour enough water to cover the ribs), ¼ cup black vinegar (can not substitute with other vinegars), ½ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoon regular soy sauce, 3 tablespoon shaoxing cooking wine, 4 slices ginger, and 3 green onions (white parts only). Turn heat to medium and bring the sauce to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Then, cover and turn heat to low for 15 minutes.
3. After simmering on low heat for 15 minutes, add ¼ cup rock sugar. If you like extra sweet flavor add 2 more tablespoons of rock sugar. Stir everything together until sugar has melted. Simmer with a lid on low for 15 more minutes. Take out the ginger and green onion out after 30 minutes.
4. Remove the lid and cook on high for 5-10 minutes until sauce has thickened. Once the sauce has thickened to your desired likeness, add ⅓ cup of black vinegar. We add at the end of cooking because the flavor of the vinegar has changed while cooking. Give it a few stirs and you’re done! If the sauce has not thickened, look in ‘If you sauce is not thick enough’ section of the blog above.
5. The ribs are meant to eat at room temperature. You can eat along with rice or noodles and some green vegetables. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and hope you enjoy!