Braised Wuxi Pork Ribs.

  • January 2nd, 2021
  • By Katy Jao
Ingredients:
  • 2 pounds pork ribs (baby back ribs cut into 1.5 inches)
  • Drizzle of vegetable oil
  • 5 slices ginger
  • 3 scallions (cut into 3 inch sections)
  • 45 grams rock sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 2 star anise flowers
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 small piece of cinnamon
Details:
  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Makes: 4 servings
Instructions:

Refer to process photos below.

  1. Cut the ribs into little chunks, with one rib bone in each chunk.
  2. Bring a saucepan with water to a boil. Blanch the pork ribs for 3-4 minutes in the water in order to clean the pork. Drain the pork and set aside.
  3. In an Instant Pot on the sauté setting, add vegetable oil and sauté the ginger and scallions until fragrant. Add the rock sugar and honey.
  4. Add the ribs and sauté the meat until brown.
  5. Add the Shaoxing wine, the dark and regular soy sauce. Boil the liquid until the alcohol smell cooks away.
  6. Add the chicken stock, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon.
  7. Change the Instant Pot to the meat setting and pressure cook it for 15 minutes.
  8. When it finishes cooking, carefully release the pressure.
  9. Remove the meats and put aside. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté. Let the braised liquid reduce until it becomes a thick sauce (~5 minutes). Turn the Instant Pot off.
  10. Pour the ribs back into the sauce to coat evenly.
  11. Serve with a garnish of scallions.

Our Wuxi ribs are tender, fall-off-the-bone, and juicy from cooking in the Instant Pot. The sauce is glossy, with a signature spiced sweetness.

why i love this recipe

Wuxi ribs are from Wuxi, a city in China's Jiangsu Province. Flavors and recipes vary, but they're traditionally made with signature flavors of rock sugar, Shaoxing wine, and red vinegar. I first fell in love with Wuxi ribs at a restaurant Vincent and I would often go to in Houston. Unfortunately after a few years, the restaurant closed down. Even after we had moved to California, I could never forget the flavors of that restaurant. I couldn't find any other restaurant that made their Wuxi ribs with the same rich flavor and glossy, sweet sauce. We decided to try recreating it ourselves! After many trials, we created this recipe.

Our Wuxi ribs are tender, fall-off-the-bone, and juicy from cooking in the Instant Pot. The sauce is glossy, with a signature spiced sweetness. Although it doesn't include the traditional red vinegar or red coloring, it is amazing and is the closest recreation to our shuttered restaurant.

Tips and Suggestions
  • To avoid biting into a whole clove or star anise, we usually take out the whole spices (star anise, cloves, and cinnamon) after the sauce thickens.
  • The sauce thickness is up to your preference, but I usually decide it is ready when I can run a spatula through the sauce and it doesn't flow together immediately. I also don't prefer the sauce too thick, because I love drizzling it all over my rice.
Notes:
  • If you can't find the small, 1.5-2 inch sections of ribs at your grocery store, you can ask your butcher to slice a rack of spare ribs or baby back ribs in halves or thirds.
  • We enjoy using baby back ribs because they are usually softer and more tender. We love the small bite sized pieces. Spare ribs work as well, but they are meatier. Choose what you prefer!
Let's wrap this up

Our Wuxi ribs are tender, fall-off-the-bone, and juicy from cooking in the Instant Pot. The sauce is glossy, with a signature spiced sweetness.