Steamed pork ribs, shrimp dumplings, pork shu mai, gai lan in oyster sauce, and Cantonese roast duck: these are my go-to dishes whenever I go to a dim sum restaurant. It makes my mouth water just thinking about them! If you have ever tried steamed pork ribs at a Cantonese dim sum restaurant, you’d be surprised at how flavorsome they taste. Those bite-sized juicy ribs are covered with a rich, savory and garlicky sauce, and are served in mini bamboo steamers. It is too bad that each serving is so tiny because the whole plate will disappear within a single minute of being served. I rarely get more than two pieces when eating out with friends! The great news is, you can cook these ribs at home and get the taste just as great as the restaurant-style. In the recipe below, I will teach you:
A great way to create a super flavorful, garlicky black bean sauce that tastes way better than the bottled sauce. The tricks to create super tender ribs by using a steamer. How easy it is to make restaurant-style ribs in 15 minutes.
How to make steamed ribs in black bean sauce
The key steps of making restaurant-like dim sum steamed ribs
Make the black bean sauce. You can either use a pre-cooked sauce, or make a quick sauce by following the recipe below. Cornstarch is a must. Not only does it tenderize the meat, it also forms a thin coating outside of the ribs, so they won’t come in contact with the hot steam. It is a key ingredient for creating tender ribs. Marinate the ribs. An important step that you cannot skip. Marinating makes sure the ribs absorb all the flavors from the sauce so the result is an extra rich taste. The ginger in the marinade will also tenderize the meat during marinating. Steam with minimum time to just allow the ribs to cook through, so it generates juicy and tender ribs. Overcooking will turn the ribs hard as rock.
How long does it take to steam ribs?
There are two approaches when it comes to cooking steamed ribs. I would recommend the first approach if you like the rib texture found at a Chinese dim sum restaurant. It has a slightly crunchy texture that is juicy and tender, but not a fall-off-the-bone type of tender. I also found the second approach too time-consuming and it cannot guarantee a great result. Just like braising, you need a really long time, one hour or more, to get the pork turning tender. If you happen to pick a lean ribs, the meat will remain tough, no matter how long you cook it. As a rule of thumb, ribs that attach with a thin layer of meat take about 10 minutes to cook through. Meatier ribs take about 15 minutes, or up to 20 minutes, to cook through.
Where to get Asian style bite-size spare ribs for steaming?
Although you can easily find pre-cut bite-sized ribs in most Asian markets, I prefer to get it at a larger grocery store that has a butcher counter. The meat tends to be fresher and higher in quality. Simply ask the butcher to cut the ribs lengthwise across the bones into two long stripes. Then you can easily separate each rib by cutting through the meat when you’re ready to cook. Always choose a thin slab of ribs with well-marbled meat, which generates a more flavorful and tender result.
What makes a great black bean sauce?
The best black bean sauce is made with fermented back soybeans. These flavor bombs are widely used in Chinese cuisine to make stir fries and steamed dishes, to impart a deep savory flavor. To make black bean sauce from scratch, add ginger, garlic, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and oil. Then slowly roast the sauce over a low heat until it turns so fragrant that you want to eat it with a spoon. However, if you want a quick version, I introduced an easier approach in the recipe below. You simply need to add aromatics and a few ingredients into the chopped black beans, to make a great sauce in under five minutes.
What if I cannot find fermented black beans?
Fermented black soybeans can be found in most Chinese markets and even online. If you cannot access them, simply replace them by using bottled black bean sauce. You can normally find it in any supermarket ethnic section. As long as you follow the key points, a plate of hot finger-licking ribs will be waiting for you at the end of the cooking! The biggest reason that I prefer steamed ribs is, they are easy to prepare and make no mess during cooking. It is one of my favorite dishes in summer, because it does not require me to stand in front of the stove and it does not turn my kitchen into a scorching oven. Throw a few bok choy into the steamer and cook some steamed white rice on the side, and you will have a delicious and healthy meal in 20 minutes 🙂
More Dim Sum recipes at home
Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk, 脆皮烧肉) Chinese BBQ Char Siu (叉烧肉) Cantonese Wonton Noodle Soup (港式云吞面) Cantonese Chicken Egg Roll (广式鸡肉春卷)
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
