Sweet Vinegar Ribs, or Sweet and Sour ribs is an historical dish from the Zhejiang region, who's orgins are steeped in legend. This dish is also often considered the precursor to the popular Sweet & Sour Pork, but is significantly healthier and a lot easier to make. [Skip the health benefits and story - Link to recipe]
Here is a recipe that's modified from my mother-in-law, who hails from Shanghai. The quantities on this recipe is mainly based on how much meat you want to cook.
Here is a recipe that's modified from my mother-in-law, who hails from Shanghai. The quantities on this recipe is mainly based on how much meat you want to cook.
The recipe calculator also allows you to factor in the salinity (how salty it is) of your soy sauce, based on the sodium level. There is large variation in how various brands of soy sauces make their product, so be sure to plug in your numbers into the calculator.
All numbers should be taken as guidelines, ratios can be changed to your preference and the final salinity level should be to your taste. Different people have a preference for a more sour flavor, or a sweeter flavor. Adjust accordingly.
I personally prefer using pork rib ends, which are the bits from the rib section that also have a bit of bone and cartilage. I believe that the vinegar in this dish also helps to increase the bio-availability of the calcium from the bones, the cartilage has proline and glycine, and the long cooking process breaks down the collagen from your meat, making a very gelatinous sauce). This dish may very well help those with weak joints, and has significant health benefits.
I personally prefer using pork rib ends, which are the bits from the rib section that also have a bit of bone and cartilage. I believe that the vinegar in this dish also helps to increase the bio-availability of the calcium from the bones, the cartilage has proline and glycine, and the long cooking process breaks down the collagen from your meat, making a very gelatinous sauce). This dish may very well help those with weak joints, and has significant health benefits.
This dish is delicious served immediately, but is improved by storing in the fridge overnight, which also allows the vinegar longer time to work on the bones. The thick sweet and tangy sauce mixes extremely well with rice.
The initial cooking technique "red braising", or 红烧 can be applied to other proteins and cuts of meat.
The first step,飞水/去水 "cleaning the pork" is optional. Some pork has a "boar taint" which can be removed in this way.
The final step, adding the slurry, is optional, depending on what consistency you want the sweet vinegar sauce to be. Add more starch powder for a thicker sauce.
Tapioca gives the sauce a glossier shine, and is preferred in a high sugar / acid sauce.
Arrowroot powder has a reportedly similar effect as tapioca powder (in non-diary sauces)
Potato starch is less glossy, but a more efficient thickener.
Corn starch might make your sauce look opaque, and has a different texture, but works in a pinch.
The rule of thumb is that a slurry is 1 part starch powder, with 1 part cold water (by volume). 1 table spoon of starch will thicken 1 cup of liquid.
Star anise (in large quantities) might have an adverse effect on pregnant women, babies and young children, and should be avoided if necessary.
PREP
a) 飞水/去水 - Clean the meat by immersing in a pot of cold water, adding some Chinese wine and ginger, bringing the water to boil, boiling for a few minutes then rinsing the pork again in cold water. This should remove some of the gamey flavors from the pork and make the dish taste cleaner.
a) 飞水/去水 - Clean the meat by immersing in a pot of cold water, adding some Chinese wine and ginger, bringing the water to boil, boiling for a few minutes then rinsing the pork again in cold water. This should remove some of the gamey flavors from the pork and make the dish taste cleaner.
b) Slice ginger into approx. 5mm slices. Peeling optional.
c) Boil some water in your kettle, for use later.
c) Boil some water in your kettle, for use later.
d) Tie your scallions in a knot, to make it easy to remove.
COOKING PART 1 - STIR FRY STAGE (low flame) - 5 min - 20 min
1) Starting from a cold pot / wok, stir fry the pork with raw ginger over a low heat until some fat has been rendered. Take your time here and brown the pork, using it's own rendered oil. The maillard reaction happens best between 140 to 165 °C (280 to 330 °F), and brings additional flavor and complexity to the dish. Optionally, skip this step if you don't have the time.
2) Add the Chinese cooking wine, making sure the pork is well coated.
COOKING PART 1 - STIR FRY STAGE (low flame) - 5 min - 20 min
1) Starting from a cold pot / wok, stir fry the pork with raw ginger over a low heat until some fat has been rendered. Take your time here and brown the pork, using it's own rendered oil. The maillard reaction happens best between 140 to 165 °C (280 to 330 °F), and brings additional flavor and complexity to the dish. Optionally, skip this step if you don't have the time.
2) Add the Chinese cooking wine, making sure the pork is well coated.
This helps remove any remaining gamey flavors. Throw in your scallions and optional herbs now.
3) Add the dark soy sauce, and stir fry everything, again making sure the pork is well coated.
4) Add rock sugar. Frying the rock sugar in the liquid briefly. Much of the rock sugar will melt into the liquid and caramelize on your meat. This will add a slightly richer caramel flavor to the dish, and bring a slight reddish tinge to everything. This is where the 红 in 红烧 comes from.
3) Add the dark soy sauce, and stir fry everything, again making sure the pork is well coated.
4) Add rock sugar. Frying the rock sugar in the liquid briefly. Much of the rock sugar will melt into the liquid and caramelize on your meat. This will add a slightly richer caramel flavor to the dish, and bring a slight reddish tinge to everything. This is where the 红 in 红烧 comes from.
5) Add hot water from your kettle (using hot water helps it come to a boil faster), ensuring that all the pieces of meat are immersed in liquid. The amount of water you need will depend on the dimensions of your pot. Use a medium high flame to bring it quickly to a boil.
COOKING PART 2 - SIMMERING STAGE (Small flame) - 30-45min
6) Once the liquid comes to a boil, check that any remaining pieces of rock sugar has dissolved, then turn down the flame and let it simmer.
7) Reserve a small amount of the braising liquid for making the optional slurry. Put the lid on your pot, making sure there is a small crack for the steam to escape.
8) Simmer until the liquid has been reduced to a small amount in the bottom of the pot (depth of around 1-3cm). The pork should be soft, and more fat should be rendered, leaving a small layer of oil on the top of the liquid. This should take around 30-45 minutes, but check frequently after 25 minutes. Add additional water if the pork is not yet soft. Set a 25 min timer, and clean your kitchen, or have a beer.
COOKING PART 3 - FINAL REDUCTION (Medium flame) - 1 - 5 min
9) Add the vinegar. stir well, and taste the sauce. It should taste rich, and well balanced in terms of acidity / sweetness / savory, but not overpoweringly so. Optionally add light soy if it's not salty enough. If there is a strong offensive "porky" flavor (from inadequate cleaning, or certain types of pork), add a little more Chinese wine.
10) Mix the starch powder with your room temperature reserved liquid.
10) Add the starch slurry and quickly stir fry everything. This will thicken the sauce, and create an emulsion, coating the meat. This should be done quickly (30 seconds or less) or the sauce will become thin again as the starches overcook. Tapioca starch is sensitive to heat. This step can be done with the heat off.
11) Serve with rice. Try not to eat it all at once. Ideally make some extra so you can store it in the fridge. It tastes even better the day after, when the vinegar has a little longer work on the bones.
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Lightly panfry the pork rib ends with ginger Render the oils from the pork, then brown it Add shaoxing wine, rock sugar and dark soy sauce |
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I transferred it to another container to simmer. I used water, but unsalted broth can also be used. One star anise can also be added for flavor |
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After 45 min (your times may vary) the water is reduced. Test the pork with a chopstick. It should be very tender. Use a medium flame to quickly reduce the last part. The dish can be served without vinegar, as a "red" braised ribs. I add vinegar and give it a final mix to let the flavors know each other The slurry is added, and quickly stirred until the sauce is thickened, then the dish can be served. Alternatively, let it cool and put in the fridge overnight, and it will taste better the next day. |
Cooking Science / Geeking Out
This research article seems to show that vinegar doesn't leach out much calcium from the bones. I wonder why this is the case, and if there is anything I can do increase the amount of calcium in the dish.
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| INGREDIENTS | |||||
| 猪排/五花肉 Pork Ribs Ends / Pork Belly | 1000 | g | 2.2 | lbs | |
| 姜 Ginger | 60 | g | 2 | oz, 6-12 slices | |
| 冰糖 Rock Sugar | 50 | g | 1.7 | oz | |
| 料酒 Chinese Wine | 50 | g | 3.3 | tablespoon | |
| 老抽 Dark Soy | 50 | g | 3.3 | tablespoon | |
| 生抽 Light Soy | 50 | g | 3.3 | tablespoon | |
| 葱 Scallions | 5 | stalks | |||
| 镇江香醋 Vinegar | 45 | g | 3 | tablespoon | |
| 生粉 Tapioca Starch | 15 | g | 1.5 | tablespoon | |
| Water | As needed to cover everything | ||||
Optional Herbs
Star Anise 1-2 cloves
Garlic 1-6 cloves
Bay Leaf 1-2 leaves
5 Spice powder
EQUIPMENT
Pot with lid
EQUIPMENT
Pot with lid
Frying pan / Wok (optional)
Great info. I am a foodie too and I always go to this Best Ribs Point Cook called Meat Mechanics and they have the most incredible variety of tacos. I highly recommend it.
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