Sweet And Sour Spareribs
These sweet and sour spareribs feature tender pork ribs coated in a tangy, savory, and slightly sweet glaze. This classic Chinese-American dish is perfect for a comforting family meal. The ribs are first blanched, then braised, and finally coated in a vibrant sauce.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 50 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 852 kcal
Allergen information: may contain gluten, sesame, and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 1,000 gpork spareribs, cut into 5cm pieces
- 15 mlvegetable oil
- 2 clovegarlic, minced
- 5 gginger, grated
blanching
- 1 cupwater
- 10 gginger, sliced
sauce
- 60 mlrice vinegar
- 45 gsugar
- 60 mlketchup
- 30 mlsoy sauce
- 15 mlmirin
- 5 gcornstarch
cornstarch slurry
- 15 mlwater
braising
- 2 cupwater
garnish
- 1 pcsgreen onion, sliced
- 5 gsesame seeds, toasted
Equipment
large pot · dutch oven · medium bowl · whisk
The method
Step by step
- 1
Place the pork spareribs in a large pot with the blanching water and blanching ginger.
- 2
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Blanching helps to remove impurities and excess fat from the ribs, resulting in a cleaner flavor.
- 3
Drain the spareribs and rinse them thoroughly under cold running water.
About 2 min
- 4
In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, mirin, and cornstarch for the sauce.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the cornstarch is fully dissolved to prevent lumps in the sauce.
- 5
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
About 2 min
- 6
Add the garlic and grated ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- 7
Add the blanched spareribs to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, turning occasionally to brown them lightly.
About 5 min
- 8
Pour in the braising water and bring to a boil.
About 5 min
- 9
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 minutes, or until the ribs are tender.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: The ribs should be fork-tender and easily pull away from the bone.
- 10
Remove the spareribs from the pot and set aside.
About 1 min
- 11
Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pot with the remaining braising liquid.
About 1 min
- 12
Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- 13
Return the spareribs to the pot and toss to coat them evenly with the sweet and sour sauce.
About 2 min
- 14
Simmer for another 5 minutes, allowing the ribs to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
About 5 min
- 15
Garnish with sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
About 1 min
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 852kcal
- Protein
- 61.2g
- Carbs
- 20.3g
- Fat
- 56.9g
- Fibre
- 0.5g
- Sugar
- 16.3g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover sweet and sour spareribs in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through, adding a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
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