Honey Garlic Spare Ribs

Honey Garlic Spare Ribs are one of my favorite side dishes at Chinese restaurants. They have a crispy texture on the outside and are smothered in a minced garlic and honey sauce. I like deep-frying them with a little bit of starch, so they have a long-lasting crispiness.

I paired this with my Boiled Bok Choy for a delicious dinner.

What ribs to use?

As the name of the dish implies, you will want to use spare ribs (also called side ribs) for this recipe. I go to an Asian grocery store to buy mine. They usually have them in smaller pieces, about 2 inches long. If not, you can ask the butcher to cut them for you.

Marinating the ribs

You should always marinate the ribs before deep-frying them as it will make the meat much more juicy and flavorful. I'm using salt, Chinese cooking wine, baking soda, and one egg white.

If you didn't already know, baking soda and egg whites are alkaline substances so they will naturally tenderize the meat. The egg white also makes the marinade a little thicker, so the final crust will be thicker too.

Coating the ribs

I like coating the ribs in a combination of cornstarch, tapioca starch, and baking powder. I find tapioca starch is one of the best starches for making crispy, deep-fried foods. Just make sure to always mix it with another starch because I have found that using only tapioca starch makes the coating very sticky and causes explosions in the oil.

Frying the ribs

I cook mine at 350°F for about 5-6 minutes until they are very crispy on the outside. 5-6 minutes might seem like it would overcook the meat, but don't worry, the meat still comes out very juicy.

Honey Garlic Spare Ribs

These Honey garlic spare ribs are crispy and coated in a sweet and sticky honey garlic sauce. I have tested many versions and these ones STAY crispy for a very long time. The reason is because the sauce has no water so there's nothing to make the ribs lose their crunch.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Cantonese, Chinese

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

Marinade

• 2 pounds side ribs (spare ribs)
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
• 1 egg white
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Dry coating

• ½ cup cornstarch
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• ½ teaspoon baking powder

Honey garlic sauce

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl, combine the pork ribs and marinade ingredients. Massage the meat for 30 seconds then transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes.
• In another bowl, combine the cornstarch, tapioca starch, and baking powder.
• Remove the ribs from the fridge and mix again to redistribute the marinade. Working one rib at a time, coat the rib in the starch mixture and set aside on a baking sheet.
• Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F. Cook the ribs in two batches for 5-6 minutes until crispy and brown on the outside. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
• In a small bowl, combine the honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
• In a large pan, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 20-30 seconds until it smells fragrant. Add the sauce mixture and cook until it starts to bubble. Add the ribs and toss to evenly coat. Enjoy!