Steamed Ribs in Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨)
My steamed ribs in black bean sauce are tender juicy pork spare ribs coated in a savory and garlicky marinade with fermented black beans, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine. This classic Cantonese dim sum appetizer steams up on one plate with no mess.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork baby back ribs , divided crosswise into 2” long ribs (*Footnote 1), then sliced into single riblet
- 1 green onion , sliced
Marinade
- 1 heaping tablespoon fermented black beans
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Add the pork ribs into a big bowl and add cold tap water to cover. Soak for 1 hour before cooking, to get rid of any impurities. Once done, rinse the ribs with cold running tap water, drain and pat dry. Transfer to a big bowl. (*Footnote 2)
- Combine the fermented black beans, ginger and garlic in a medium-sized heat proof bowl. Heat oil over medium heat in a small skillet until it shimmers. Immediately pour onto the black beans and aromatics. Stir to mix well. Add the Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Combine ribs with the sauce. Add the cornstarch and mix again to coat well. Marinate at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes, or in the fridge, up to overnight.
- To set up the steamer, use a large plate that has some depth (to hold the sauce) that can fit in your steamer. You will also need to use a wok or a skillet to hold the steamer. In the case of a skillet, you might need a rack to elevate the steamer, so the water underneath doesn’t touch the bottom of the steamer.
- Spread the ribs onto the plate with minimum overlap, along with the marinade, and place the plate into the steamer.
- Add plenty of water to the wok (or skillet) but not so deep it touches the bottom of the steamer. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Place the steaming rack, covered, onto the wok. You should see steam rising from the top of the steamer. Cook over medium-high heat until the ribs are just cooked through, 20 minutes or so. Test the ribs by cutting through one. The juice should run clear. Cook, covered, checking at 5 minute increments to see if the ribs are done.
- Garnish with green onion. Serve hot.
Notes
- The easiest way to do this is to purchase the ribs at the butcher counter. Ask the butcher to cut the ribs in half crosswise, so they’ll fit better into the steamer. Try to select well-marbled meat that is not too thick, which will generate super tender and flavorful meat. You can also purchase pre-cut ribs at a Chinese grocery store.
- Soaking the ribs get rid of blood and some gamey taste. If you're short on time, you can also skip this step.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 4 servings, Calories: 337kcal, Carbohydrates: 8.4g, Protein: 17.3g, Fat: 25.5g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 302mg, Potassium: 258mg, Sugar: 4.6g