Chinese Steamed Black Bean Spare Ribs are a classic dim sum dish, and I literally order it every time I go to dim sum. It's probably the easiest dim sum dish to make too (and I've made many in my life!). I made this for my wife's family last week and her grandma said it was very tasty and tender.
Growing up, I remember getting this every time I went to dim sum with my family. The black bean ribs were always my dad's favorite. The place we went to actually served it in a clay pot with rice and dark soy sauce, and it was really, really good. Fun fact: my mom used to save the bones from the ribs and give them to our dog who was waiting in the car 😅.
The last few times I went to dim sum, I realized the ribs are very sweet, and there is always a layer of oil at the bottom of the dish. I think it's because they fry the ribs before steaming them. But in order to be more healthy at home, I decided to just add some oil before steaming. It actually turned out really well.
What are fermented black beans?
As the name implies, they are black beans that have been fermented. They have a very umami and salty flavor. I also get a hint of Chinese herbal medicine from them. One important step is to soak them in warm water for 5 minutes before using them. This will soften them so that you can easily chop them and incorporate them into your dish.
What pork ribs to use?
The ribs you want to use are called spare ribs (or side ribs). Most Asian grocery stores will carry them, and they will also cut them in half for you so the pieces are shorter. If possible, try to find pieces near the ends of the ribs. These pieces have smaller bones and more meat.
How long to marinate the pork?
I always marinate the ribs for at least 40 minutes. The ideal time is around 4 hours but I understand not everyone has that amount of time. When I make this dish for friends and family, I always go for at least 4 hours though. The flavor just goes a bit deeper in the meat.
How long to steam the ribs?
When I first made this dish, my mom said I did not steam it long enough so they were not very tender. I only steamed them for 30 minutes. She recommended I go for one hour to make them more tender. After experimenting a few times, I've settled on 45 minutes as being a good amount of time. In my opinion, they taste perfectly tender at this stage.
Steamed Black Bean Spare Ribs
Ingredients
To marinate the pork ribs
- 1 pound pork spare ribs (also called side ribs)
- 4 teaspoons sugar (I know this seems like a lot of sugar but don't worry it is not overly sweet at all)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch MSG
To add before steaming
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans (rehydrated in ¼ cup of hot water for 5 minutes)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients. Massage the meat for 1 minute then transfer to the fridge for at least 40 minutes and up to 2 days. I find the flavor is best after 4 hours.
- Before steaming, mix in the oil, fermented black beans, and cornstarch. I used my fingers to smush some of the black beans so more of their flavor would come out.
- Transfer the pork to a steaming dish and arrange the meat in a single layer. Please note the single layer is very important. I did a double batch once and had to pile the meat on top of each other and the meat at the bottom did not cook through. If you have a lot of meat, I recommend doubling the cooking time and mixing every 10 minutes so they cook evenly.
- Bring the water to a boil and place the ribs in the steamer. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium. Steam for 45 minutes. If you like the meat to fall off the bone, then go for another 15 minutes. Make sure to check the water level every so often and refill as needed.
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