Wen's Braised Pork Ribs in Soy Sauce (红烧排骨)

Introduced to Jen and Drew by Wen and Yan at Burning Man 2025. Guide here.

Ingredients

Ingredients Amount
Pork Ribs (cut into small pieces) 500 g
Light Soy Sauce 3 tbsp
Dark Soy Sauce 1 tbsp
Shaoxing Wine 2 tbsp
Rock Sugar 2 tbsp
Ginger 4 slices
Garlic 3 cloves (smashed)
Star Anise 1 pieces
Water (enough to cover the ribs) ~400 ml
Green Onions 2 stalks
Cooking oil 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Timings

Prep ingredients: 30 min

Braise: 1 hour

Recipe

  1. Blanch the ribs: Bring water to a boil, add pork ribs and cook for 2–3 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and set aside.
  2. Caramelize sugar: Heat oil in a wok or deep pan, add sugar, and stir on low heat until it melts and turns light brown.
  3. Add ribs: Quickly add the blanched ribs, stir-fry until evenly coated with caramel color.
  4. Add seasonings: Add ginger, garlic, star anise, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and cooking wine. Stir well.
  5. Simmer: Pour in hot water until ribs are just covered. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium-low heat, cover, and simmer for 40–50 minutes until ribs are tender.
  6. Thicken sauce: Remove the lid, increase heat to medium-high, and reduce the sauce until it thickens and coats the ribs. Adjust salt if needed.
  7. Serve: Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot with steamed rice.