Steamed Spareribs with Black Beans is your favorite dim sum made quick and easy right in your own home! With juicy pork ribs and flavorful sauce, they’re delicious as an appetizer or as a main dish.
I was craving for these delectable pork ribs this weekend, but since going to a dim sum house by myself wouldn’t have been as much fun, I decided to make them at home instead. And if I may say so, they turned out just as delicious as in our favorite Chinese restaurants!
The dish is so easy to put together, I can’t believe how much restaurants charge for a small plateful. You’re lucky if you got more than five riblets in one serving.
Ingredient notes
- Spare ribs– have the butcher cut the slab lengthwise through the bones so it would be easier to cut into bite-sized pieces by slicing between the bones.
- Cornstarch– like in our salt and pepper pork chops recipe, the key to super soft and tender ribs is velveting with cornstarch. Note that there will be barely any liquid once you add the cornstarch to the ribs, which is OK.
- Tausi– these Chinese fermented black beans or douchi are packed in brine; rinse and drain well to remove extra saltiness
- Chinese cooking wine– also called Shaoxing wine. If unavailable, you can substitute dry sherry, mirin, or sake. For a non-alcoholic alternative, use chicken broth.
- Light soy sauce– adds umami flavor.
- Sesame oil– adds a nutty aroma and taste
- Aromatics– ginger and garlic
- Salt– enhances the flavor
- Sugar– balances the saltiness with a little sweetness
Helpful tips
- Marinate the ribs for at least 30 minutes or overnight for best results.
- Do not overcook the ribs or they’ll turn tough and chewy. I usually cook small bite-sized pieces for about 15 to 20 minutes and another five minutes if they’re extra meaty.
- If you want a bit of heat, add chopped Thai chili peppers along with the green onions when ready to serve.
How to serve and store
- These steamed pork ribs are filling and delicious by themselves but also pair well with steamed rice. They make a great brunch or light dinner meal!
- To store leftovers, keep in airtight containers and refrigerate for up 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, steam for about 15 to 20 minutes or until heated.
For more Asian favorites, check out these House Special Fried Rice, Cashew Chicken, and Chinese Pearl Balls recipes. Enjoy!
More pork recipes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork spareribs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 Tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine
- 2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons fermented black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Rinse pork ribs and drain very well. Pat dry.
- In a bowl, combine pork ribs, Chinese wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, salt, and sugar. Stir to fully coat meat and marinate for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Prepare a steamer by bringing about two inches of water to a boil.
- Add cornstarch and combine until ribs are coated. Add black beans and stir to distribute.
- Transfer pork into a heat-proof wide, shallow plate and place in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for about 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and cooked through.Â
- Sprinkle with green onions if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- Do not overcook the ribs or they’ll turn tough and chewy. I usually cook small bite-sized pieces for about 15 to 20 minutes and another five minutes if they’re extra meaty.
- If you want a bit of heat, add chopped Thai chili peppers along with the green onions when ready to serve.
Video
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
déli says
Hi, Lalaine,
Just quick question: how come the pork ribs they serve in dimsum restaurants are light/pale in color? Is it because they don’t use soy sauce or any dark seasoning sauces to flavor them with? What do they use instead?
Mahálo 🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
Joan says
I dun have fermented black beans .. can use shrimp paste instead?
Lalaine Manalo says
I’m sorry but black beans and shrimp paste are very different in flavor and are not interchangeable in this recipe.