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Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs

糖醋排骨 · Táng cù pái gǔ

Small rib sections simmered in a sweet-tangy sauce until tender. A little vinegar at the end refreshes the flavour.

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Prep12 min
Cook55 min
Serves3
DifficultyMedium
Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs — illustrative dish photo; ingredients may differ
Illustrative dish photography · credits below · 施雅敏 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Recipe guide · not yet kitchen-testedAI-assisted editorial draft. Timing depends on your stove, pan, and ingredient size. Use the doneness checks below.

Let’s get cooking

  1. 01

    Blanch

    Cover ribs with cold water, boil for 3 minutes, then drain and clean the pot.

  2. 02

    Lightly brown

    Heat oil over medium heat. Add drained ribs and ginger and turn for 4–5 minutes.

  3. 03

    Add braising liquid

    Add soy sauce, sugar, most of the vinegar, and enough hot water to nearly cover.

  4. 04

    Simmer until tender

    Cover and simmer gently 35–45 minutes. Add hot water if necessary; the meat should be easy to pierce.

  5. 05

    Glaze

    Uncover and reduce the sauce while turning ribs. Add the reserved vinegar near the end; stop before sugar burns.

A little kitchen wisdom

Rib size changes cooking time considerably. Ask for small cut sections and check tenderness before reducing.

Can’t find an ingredient?

Rice vinegar: Use a mild cider vinegar; start with less and adjust.

Cook safely

Whole cuts of pork must reach 63°C / 145°F, then rest at least 3 minutes. Ground pork must reach 71°C / 160°F.

FoodSafety.gov guidance ↗