Peking Ribs

In case you were wondering, I didn’t make Peking-style pork chops since I did a recipe for Peking-style pork ribs instead. I must explain myself.

So, I didn’t create Peking-style pork chops because I know that spare ribs, chopped into little pieces, work much better in this meal. I’ll admit I was surprised by that as well. I looked all over Chinese media for a photo of Peking-style pork chops, but all I could find were rib-based dishes. To put it mildly, that’s weird. When Chinese people settled in other countries, they brought this meal, commonly known as Peking ribs, with them.

Just so you know, the Sweet and Sour Pork Chop dish is more acidic than sweet, while this Peking Ribs recipe is sweeter. Both of those meals are excellent. Marinating, frying, and sauce application are the three foundational stages of any meal. Just like pie!

Ingredients:

• 900g of spare ribs (1 1/2-inch pieces)
• 5 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup of ketchup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon of sugar + 1/2 teaspoon
• 2 teaspoons of light soy sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground white or black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon of sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Get the ribs cut to the size you want from the butcher; even the one at the grocery store should be able to help you out with this. The ribs should be washed and patted dry with a paper towel before being placed in the oven once you arrive home.
2. Marinate the ribs in Shaoxing wine, sugar, salt, pepper, a single egg white, and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt. Prepare the marinade and let it sit for an hour.
3. It’s best to get the oil ready to fry the ribs in a small saucepan while the meat is marinating. In order to fry the ribs properly, there need to be at least 1.5 inches of oil in the pan. Since less oil may be used in a smaller pot, the ribs will need to be fried in several batches.
4. After marinating, cornstarch should be sprinkled over the ribs to coat them evenly. I tossed the ribs with the cornstarch in a ziplock bag to get a uniform coating.
5. The oil should be heated over a medium flame. The soup is done when bubbles gather around the end of a chopstick when you place the stick in it (or 325 degrees F oil temp).
6. To ensure that the ribs fry evenly, lower them slowly into the oil, leaving some space between them. After 6–7 minutes, when the ribs are just beginning to turn light brown, increase the heat to high (about 350 degrees F oil temperature) for a minute or two to ensure that they achieve a good golden hue.
7. Get the ribs out with a slotted spoon and let them dry on a paper towel-lined dish. To ensure all the ribs get cooked, work in batches. Check the doneness of the ribs by slicing open a single rack.
8. Garlic and 2 tablespoons of frying oil should be heated together in a wok over low heat. Just a minute in the pan before adding the ketchup. Carefully continue cooking for another minute or two, keeping an eye out for scorching. Afterward, pour in half a cup of water, two teaspoons of light soy sauce, and half a teaspoon of sugar (or more if you prefer your dish to be sweeter).
9. Achieve a simmer by increasing the heat to medium. Set the heat to medium-low, add the ribs, and toss them until they’re well covered in the sauce.
10. Put in the sesame oil and keep cooking for another minute while stirring regularly.
11. Serve!