Sichuan-Style Braised Spare Ribs (紅燒排骨)

This recipe is based on one I meant to post back in May, but I wasn't quite satisfied with how it turned out. The original was my version of Pei Mei's Sichuan-style beef stew. It is a dish in the hongshao (red cooked) style of braised meat, similar to Chairman Mao's pork belly. This time, though, I decided to adapt it to spare ribs, which I had in the freezer. The result was thoroughly enjoyable. Although I still prefer the pork belly version, this is a nice change of pace. The ribs fall right off the bone and the sauce pairs well with rice. While I'm not sure this would be considered an "authentic" Sichuan-style recipe, I do think I've respected the style, and it turned out well.

The main difference in terms of seasoning between this and Chairman Mao's pork belly is that it swaps out the sugar for doubanjiang, the hot bean paste which is a cornerstone of Sichuan flavor. Using just two tablespoons gives the sauce a background heat, but doesn't take over. It is, however, very salty. This makes it effectively immortal in the refrigerator, but can be overpowering. While the rice does balance this out, I might compensate by cutting the soy sauce back a bit next time. Other than the garlic, everything else here has appeared in my previous hongshao recipes. The pork stock I used is the same as in the Chairman's pork. If you like Sichuan peppercorns, they can also be added. With how big the flavors are in this dish, it works well with a simple green vegetable as a side. We had stir-fried snap peas.

Ingredients

• 3 lb. spare ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 Tbs. hot bean paste (doubanjiang)
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
• 1 cup unsalted pork or chicken stock (optional)
• 5 green onions, chopped into 3 pieces
• 1 inch chunk ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 pieces star anise
• 1 piece Chinese cinnamon
• 2 Tbs. Shaoxing wine or Amontillado
• Corn starch to taste

Instructions

Fill a wok about halfway with water and bring to a strong boil. Add the ribs and cook for about 1 minute, allowing the water to become scummy. Remove the ribs with a strainer and set aside. Dump out the water, rinse the pan, and wipe clean. 

Heat the oil over high heat. Add the garlic and bean paste. Fry, stirring constantly to avoid burning, for about 2 minutes. 

Add the soy sauce and stock. Add green onions, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and wine. Return the pork to the pan and top up with water so that the pork is mostly covered, about 2 cups.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and let cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. After 1 hour, uncover and turn up to medium-low. Cook another 30 minutes. Strain out the pork and set aside. Strain out the aromatics and discard. 

In a small dish, combine corn starch with a little water and stir into a slurry. I used 1 Tbs. corn starch, but more could be used. Add the slurry to the sauce, bring to a boil, and reduce by about half. The sauce will be quite salty at this point, but will be balanced out by the meat and rice. Pour over the ribs and serve with rice.