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Shanghai-Style Sweet & Sour Baby-Back Ribs

These sweet and sour ribs are a Shanghainese delight that steals the spotlight on any dinner table. They're cooked to crispy perfection with a caramelized sugar coating, then glazed in a sticky and aromatic sweet and sour sauce.
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Servings: 6
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, lunch, pork,
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs pork ribs (Baby-back ribs should be cut down the center, while spareribs, which are longer, need to be cut into thirds.)
  • 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Shaoxing wine, divided (*see notes)
  • 3 Tbsp oil, divided (any neutral frying oil)
  • 8 thin slices ginger
  • 8 scallions, white parts only, chopped (I roughly chopped used the green parts for green scallion fried rice.)
  • 3 Tbsp brown sugar I found that the original recipe's flavor was a bit muted, so I adjusted the amount accordingly. Since filming the video for this recipe, I've discovered that using dark brown sugar instead of white adds a richer flavor that I prefer.
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 to 2½ Tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Look for Zhenjiang also spelled as Chinkiang) (The original recipe's flavor was muted, so I changed this amount.)
  • 2 cups water
  • toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic (2-3 cloves) (optional)
  • ¼ tsp white pepper (optional) (Add in step 5 if using)

Equipment

  • 1 flat bottomed pan
  • 1 wok (or high sided pan) (Everything can be made in one pan if the pan is rinsed and wiped out between steps 2 and 3).

Method
 

  1. Clean the ribs and pat them dry with a paper towel. Cut into 1-to-2-inch pieces. Marinate the ribs with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine for 15 minutes.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a flat-bottomed pan over medium heat and brown the ribs on all sides. Set aside on a plate.
  3. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a clean wok over medium heat, and cook the ginger and scallions (and minced garlic if using) until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Take them out of the wok and set aside.
  4. Add another tablespoon of oil, and with the wok on low heat, add the sugar. Stir and let it melt. Add the ribs and coat them with the melted sugar, Turn off the heat.
  5. Add the second tablespoon of Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, vinegar, water, (white pepper if using) and the cooked ginger and scallion. Turn up the heat and bring everything to a boil. Then cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  6. After 30 minutes, if there's still too much liquid in the pot, take off the lid and turn up the heat, stirring continuously until the sauce has thickened and the ribs are coated and sticky.
  7. Once the ribs are cooked, remove them from the pan and sprinkle with sesame seeds and additional scallions, if desired. Serve immediately, either with the remaining sauce from the pan or separately, depending on your preference. You can use the sauce for dipping or drizzling over rice. Serve with plenty of napkins.

Notes

Shaoxing wine can be found online and in Asian groceries.