The Chinese-style braised pork ribs recipe is one of the easiest recipes I’ve made so far. I love this dish and have tried several versions, but this one is the most straightforward, incredibly flavorful, and forgiving, with plenty of room for error.

In this article, I’ve documented every step, listed the ingredients you’ll need, and shared some handy tips to help you achieve the best results, just like those at your favorite Chinese restaurant.

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The ingredients required for Chinese braised pork ribs

• Pork ribs. You can use spare ribs (short ribs), which are meatier, or baby back ribs, which are more tender. I usually prefer the meatier type, but this recipe works well with any cut you like.
• The aromatics. The aromatics used are green onions (spring onions) and ginger. These two make the best combination and flavor the ribs perfectly. I add a generous amount of green onions and ginger because I love their flavor, as they can never be too much. 
• Spices. Cloves, star anise, and cinnamon bark are the spices you’ll need. This trio also works wonderfully for braising chicken or lamb. Their flavor perfectly complements the ginger and green onions, creating that unmistakable traditional Cantonese taste.
• Seasonings. The seasonings include Chinese wine, Chinkiang vinegar, light soy sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, white pepper, and rock sugar. These items are all commonly available in your favorite Chinese grocery store. You can substitute with rice vinegar if you don’t have Chinkiang vinegar. Rock sugar is the best choice because it adds a pure sweetness without a caramelized flavor and gives the meat a glossy finish after braising. That’s why it’s always preferred in Chinese braising, though you can use brown or regular sugar.

How to prepare the Chinese braised pork ribs

1. Marinate the pork ribs with salt and light soy sauce for at least half a day or overnight if time permits.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients: slices of ginger, sections of spring onion, and get ready star anise, cloves, and a piece of cinnamon bark. The best way is to cut the green onions into short sections and slice the fresh ginger thinly so they release their flavor easily while braising with the ribs.

3. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pan to 180°C, and deep-fry the pork ribs in a single layer until they are golden brown on both sides. Once they’re done, remove the ribs from the oil. Then, pour away most of the oil, leaving about two tablespoons in the pan.

4. Use the remaining oil to sauté the ginger slices and green onion sections until fragrant. Then, add the star anise, cloves, and cinnamon bark.

5. Return the deep-fried pork ribs to the pan and mix everything well. Next, season the pork ribs with Chinese wine, vinegar, light soy sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, ground white pepper, and rock sugar.

6. Add water to deglaze the brown bits and just enough to cover the ribs. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Braise the pork ribs over low heat for about 1.5 hours or until the meat is tender. While braising, check the water level periodically and add more if needed. Flip the ribs occasionally to ensure they cook evenly.

7. Once the ribs are tender, remove them from the pan. Strain the braising liquid through a wire mesh strainer to catch the aromatics to get the clear liquid.

8. Return the liquid to the pan and boil it until its volume is reduced by half. Then, add the cornstarch slurry to thicken it into a rich, glossy gravy.

9. Finally, return the pork ribs to the pan and let the sauce coat them thoroughly. Once they’re all well-coated, remove from the pan and serve.

Tips and variations

1. Besides the star anise, cinnamon, and cloves, you can add a few bay leaves to enhance the flavor.
2. If you prefer the gravy to be deep, dark brown, add a small amount of dark soy sauce to the braising liquid during cooking. Dark soy sauce isn’t very salty, so it won’t significantly affect the overall saltiness. It is mainly used to adjust the color of the dish in Chinese cooking.
3. If you have an Instant Pot, you can braise the ribs using pressure cooking instead of slow cooking on the stove. I recommend pressure-cooking the ribs for about 30 minutes.
4. You can use brown sugar or regular sugar if rock sugar isn’t available.
5. You can include tomato paste, sesame oil, or even fish sauce. However, these will noticeably change the flavor from the original recipe. For now, I prefer sticking to the simpler, traditional version.
6. I braise the pork ribs in the same pan I use to sauté the green onions and ginger, though you may want to transfer everything to a smaller pot or Dutch oven for braising.
7. I don’t think it’s necessary to use chicken stock for braising the pork ribs since the braising liquid reduces to a thick gravy and becomes incredibly flavorful on its own.
8. The best way to serve braised pork ribs is with steamed white rice. Drizzle the extra gravy over the rice—it’s delicious.
9. If you do not have Shaoxing wine, substituting it with any rice wine, white wine, or dry sherry should be fine.