Kitchen Recipe Collection
Wuxi Braised Pork Ribs (Wuxi Pai Gu)
A famous sweet and savory dish from Jiangsu province. Pork ribs are slowly braised until fall-off-the-bone tender in a dark, sticky, caramelized soy and sugar glaze.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- 1 kg pork spare ribs, chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 scallions, cut into sections
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 cup rock sugar (or brown sugar)
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- Water or chicken broth
Equipment
- Wok or Dutch oven
Instructions
- 1
Blanch Ribs
Place the ribs in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and rinse the ribs clean.
- 2
Caramelize Sugar
In a wok over low heat, melt the rock sugar with 1 tbsp of oil until it turns a deep amber liquid.
- 3
Coat Ribs
Add the blanched ribs to the caramelized sugar. Toss vigorously so every rib is coated in the sticky, sweet glaze.
- 4
Add Aromatics
Add the ginger, scallions, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 5
Add Liquids
Pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze. Add the light and dark soy sauce.
- 6
Simmer
Add enough water to just barely cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low.
- 7
Braise
Braise for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is extremely tender and pulling away from the bone.
- 8
Add Vinegar
Stir in the Chinese black vinegar. (Adding it near the end preserves its sharp, acidic flavor to balance the intense sweetness).
- 9
Reduce Sauce
Remove the lid. Turn the heat to high. Boil rapidly to reduce the braising liquid.
- 10
Glaze
Continue boiling and tossing until the liquid becomes a thick, sticky, dark syrup that clings to the ribs.
- 11
Serve
Remove the aromatics and serve hot with white rice.
Cooking Tips
- Wuxi cuisine is known for being quite sweet. Rock sugar gives the ribs a beautiful, glossy shine that regular white sugar cannot achieve.
Variations
- Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs (Tang Cu Pai Gu): A similar dish but uses twice as much vinegar and is fried first for a crispier texture.
Nutrition Estimate
480 calories · 28g protein · 20g carbs · 32g fat · 0g fiber per serving
