Sweet and sour ribs are small pork ribs cooked with a sticky glaze, popular in North America and Asian countries. They are marinated, simmered, and then cooked uncovered with sweet and sour sauce until the glaze becomes sticky. The dish can be garnished with sesame seeds and served.
Sweet and sour ribs are small pork ribs cooked with a sticky sweet and sour glaze. Popularly eaten in North America and Asian countries, such as China and Vietnam, these tasty morsels are usually enjoyed as a side dish in a buffet meal, as an appetizer, or as finger food. There are variations on the toppings in the recipes, but the cooking method tends to be the same.
This dish can be purchased from the grocery store or butcher. The sweet and sour ribs are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and come in strips taken from the side rib closest to the back. This cut is also called center cut pork ribs. These long strips are then cut before cooking into individual bite-sized chops, each containing a single bone.
The key to cooking sweet and sour ribs is to first marinate them for several hours as this helps to tenderize them and intensify the final flavors. Cooks then place the ribs in a covered dish in the oven or slow cooker, along with the marinade, and leave them for an hour to simmer. This will make the meat tender. If a marinade isn’t being used, water should be added to the dish to keep the ribs moist. Seasonings like bay leaf, ginger, and shallots add flavor to the water and season the ribs.
Once the ribs have cooked for at least an hour, they are uncovered. Ribs cooked in a marinade do not need any other ingredients. If they were not, then the cooks add sweet and sour sauce right now. The ribs are then cooked uncovered for another hour until the glaze has caramelized and becomes sticky, coating the ribs. This process is also often done in a wok; however, it’s important to make sure the ribs stay moist while cooking because more moisture escapes into the air.
The ingredients that give sweet and sour ribs their signature flavor can vary. The sweet element tends to come from ingredients like sugar, honey and maple syrup. Sweet fruits like pineapple and orange work, but they need to be used in conjunction with at least one of the sweeteners mentioned above to get the right sticky texture. The acid in sweet and sour ribs comes from tamarind or vinegar and cider, rice or balsamic vinegar.
Other seasonings commonly include garlic, ginger and chili peppers. The onion and soy sauce also help give this dish its distinctive flavor. Once cooked, the ribs are often garnished with sesame seeds and served.
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