Cooking Lesson #473: Wan-Q Chinese Sticky Spare Ribs

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

​How you doin’? Do you love those sticky spare ribs you get in a Chinese restaurant? Well, you can make them at home. Chinese spare ribs are another one of the Chinese restaurant take-out favorites. Armed with a couple of ingredients from the Asian section of your local grocery store you won’t have to go to the restaurant for these high-priced choices anymore.
 
While Chinese spare ribs are a classic dish we all love to eat, few people attempt to cook at home. It can seem a bit intimidating for those without experience cooking Asian foods. But don’t let this intimidate you. The good news is besides using a few, maybe unfamiliar ingredients, Chinese spare ribs are just barbecued ribs—with a different taste profile. They’re as easy-to-make at home as any other barbecued rib dishes. This straightforward recipe shows you how to make Chinese spare ribs and give you the confidence you need to try out this delicious dish at home without fear of failure.
 
For those wondering why they’re called “Wan-Q Chinese Sticky Spare Ribs,” it was my family’s go-to Chinese restaurant. Read a little history of Wan-Q here.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Cool time:  30 minutes
Marinate time: 1 hour minimum
Cook time:  60 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing rice wine, mirin or dry sherry
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce
2 tablespoon light brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 pounds pork spare ribs, ribs disjointed and separated
 
Directions

1. In a medium sized saucepan combine hoisin sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice wine or mirin, five-spice powder, chopped garlic, chili-garlic sauce, brown sugar, honey, and ketchup.
2. Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring until the sauce is fully blended.
3. Let the flavors marry; cool for 30 minutes.
4. Pour the marinade over ribs and marinate for at least 1 hour. These taste better if you can allow them to marinate longer or even overnight.
5. Arrange the ribs on a foiled-lined sheet pan.
6. Bake the ribs in a pre-heated oven at 375⁰ F for about 40 to 50 minutes.
7. You can then finish the ribs on a grill for 5 minutes to further caramelize the sauce and get that smoky fire pit flavor.

 
ChefSecret:  Perfect results depends on using the correct and best ingredients you can find. Let’s take a closer look at some of the more unfamiliar ingredients in this recipe to help you understand what they are and where you can buy them.

• Hoisin Sauce is an Asian condiment that is popular for marinating meat in pork and duck dishes. It contains mostly fermented soybean paste seasoned with chili peppers, garlic, honey, sesame oil, and five-spice powder. You can find hoisin sauce at most grocery stores in the Asian or imported section.

 

• Toasted Sesame Oil comes from sesame seeds and has a distinctively nutty taste. There are several different types of sesame oil available, so make sure that you use toasted sesame oil for this recipe. Toasted sesame oil is for flavor, not frying. Toasted sesame oil is widely available.

 

• Mirin is a sweet rice wine from Japan used mainly for cooking. In this recipe, mirin can be used in place of Chinese Shaoxing rice wine that can be very difficult to find. If you can’t find either one, use a dry sherry instead.

 

• Five-Spice Powder is a blend of spices Chinese cooks often use as a dry rub. The name comes from the five different tastes in Chinese philosophy. These are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent, often referred to with the Japanese term “umami.” There are many different five-spice powder blends—but most include star anise, cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds.

 

• Chinese Spare Ribs cut in this recipe is critical. Traditional spare ribs come from the lowest part of the ribcage near the belly. This cut has a much higher ratio of fat-to-meat than other ribs and guarantees juicy meat and a luscious mouthfeel. St. Louis cut ribs come from the same area of the ribcage as spares but trimmed square. Remember to cut the rack of ribs into individual pieces before marinating to get the most flavorful results.

Oh, here’s another secret—you might call it a two-for… you can use the same marinade and sauce for making Sticky Wings—marinate the raw wings for at least an hour and then oven bake them at 400⁰ F for just 30 minutes.

Quip of the Day: “Think about this, won’t you? Instead of buying fireworks or an extra six-pack of Bud this 4th of July, buy two (2) cans of pet food for a shelter animal. Don’t make noise; make a difference. You’ll feel better for it!”
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. 
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