Make sure to cook extra when making these juicy tender pork ribs covered in a fragrant savory black bean sauce, because you will need to fight your way to get a few pieces when serving a crowd!
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.
- Use the shortest time, just to cook the meat through.
- Cook for a very long time or cook in a pressure cooker, until the meat falls off the bones.
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.
Steamed Ribs in Black Bean Sauce (豉汁蒸排骨)
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork baby back ribs , divided crosswise into shorter ribs (*Footnote 1)
- 1 green onion , chopped
- Sliced ginger for garnish (Optional)
- 2 Thai chili peppers (or jalapeño) (Optional)
Marinade (or 1/4 cup homemade black bean sauce)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry for a gluten-free option)
- 2 tablespoons fermented black beans
- 1 thumb ginger , minced (yields 2 tablespoons)
- 3 cloves garlic , minced (yields 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all the marinade ingredients to a small bowl, mix well.
- Combine ribs with the marinade sauce in a big bowl and mix well. Marinate at room temperature for a minimum of 30 minutes or in the fridge, up to overnight.
- To set up the steamer, use a large plate that has some depth (to hold the broth) that can fit in your steamer. You will also need to use a wok or a skillet to hold the steamer. In the case of a skillet, you might need a rack to elevate the steamer, so the water underneath doesn’t touch the bottom of the steamer.
- Spread the ribs on the plate with minimum overlapping and place the plate into the steamer. (*Footnote 2)
- Add water to the wok (or skillet) to about 1-inches deep but not so deep it reaches the bottom of the steamer. Heat over a high heat until boiling.
- Place the steaming rack, covered, on top of the wok. You should see steam rising from the top of the steamer. Cook over a medium-high heat until the ribs are just cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes for small bite-size ribs, and 20 minutes for meatier pieces. Test the ribs by cutting through. The meat should have a little hint of pink near the bones. Cook, covered, in 5 minute increments if the ribs are not done.
- Garnish with chopped green onion, if using. Serve hot over rice or as an appetizer.
Notes
- The easiest way to do this is to purchase the ribs at the butcher in a grocery store. Ask the butcher to cut the ribs into half crosswise, so it fits better in the steamer. Try to select well-marbled meat that is not too thick, which will generate super tender and flavorful meat.
- I always like to add a few whole black beans onto the ribs as a garnish right before cooking. It makes the dish prettier and showcases the flavor profile of the dish.
This looks amazing! I have a question about the fermented black beans. They come in a fairly large bag. How do I store the unused portion? Are they okay to eat uncooked? I have been mixing some in with some hot rice, but I am not sure it’s safe to eat that way.
Hi Alice, for the uncooked fermented black beans I always put them in a airtight jar (or container) and store them in the fridge. They last for months.
They are safe to eat uncooked, but to me they have a pungent raw taste that I don’t like. So what I usually do is to mix it with some oil and herbs (chopped green onions and garlic) and heat it in the microwave to make a quick sauce.
Hope this is helpful and let me know if you have more questions 🙂
Maggie, I cannot tell you how happy I was to make this at home! It’s one of my favorite dim sum dishes, but actually making it at home felt like magic (and so easy!!) Ditto your recipes for lamb and pork dumplings!!! Between you and the Mala Project, our house is constantly well-stocked with amazing food! Thanks so much!
Hi Jesse, I’m so glad to hear you’re such an avid cook and truly love Chinese food! And thanks so much for trying out my recipes and taking time to leave a comment. These ribs are so easy to cook once you tried it, isn’t it 😉 I felt the same way the first time I cooked them.
I love The Mala Project recipes too and I cook from her site all the time 🙂
Hi Maggie! I cooked this tonight so good! Exactly like those dim sum Chinese resto. And guess what…I used your homemade garlic black bean sauce! Oh so yummy! And so happy I stumbled upon your recipes! So really good! May you be more inspired!
Hey Chit, I’m glad to hear your dish turned out well! It’s quite simple to make, isn’t it?
You just reminded me that I need to make another batch of the black bean sauce. It’s a great ingredient in the pantry to speed up the cooking 🙂
Thanks so much for your kind words and have an awesome week ahead!
Loved your recipe! Thank for sharing!
For some spice, add a very thinly sliced jalapeño or Serrano to the marinade and/or serve with chili oil.
Hi! May I know how I should adapt this recipe if I use store-bought Lee Kum Kee black bean sauce? Thank you in advance!
Hi! May I know how I should adapt this recipe if I use store-bought Lee Kum Kee black bean sauce? Thank you in advance!
Hi Xian, you can directly use the store-bought black bean sauce to replace the fermented black beans. Happy cooking!
Will this recipe work with beef short ribs instead of pork?
Hi Katherine, I’ve never tried steam beef short ribs. I think it’s possible, but you might need to cook them longer because beef ribs are tougher.
Nice, thanks for an old favourite!
Very good, Maggie. I doubled the recipe. This was the first time I encountered a steamed ribs recipe that asked for marination. The inclusion of hot pepper and cornstarch in the marinade worked well for me. The resulting sauce was the right consistency to drizzle on the rice. My wife, who is from Guangzhou, was also impressed. Thank you! I can’t wait to try many of your other recipes.
Hello Maggie, I enjoyed reading your recipe for the steamed ribs in black bean sauce. I’d like to sous vide the ribs so that they are tender. Do you suggest I marinade the ribs and put it in the pouch to sous vide? Or should I just sous vide the ribs au natural and add the black bean marinade after?
Thank you in advance.
Lizzie
Hi Lizzie, have you tried sous vide the ribs with the sauce? I think you can skip the marinating if you cook the ribs with the sauce.
Has anyone tried this sousvide style and what’s the temperature and duration?
When the ribs are transferred to the plate, does the marinade go with them? I always have them in a sauce, so I assume the answer is yes, but want to confirm.
Yes, the marinade goes into the steamer with the rib.
Happy cooking!
Hi Maggie! Thank you for this recipe, and so many others!
We made some homemade black bean sauce, but I’m a little confused figuring out what to add to it to make it a marinade for this dish. What parts of the marinade are additional to the 1/4 cup of homemade black bean sauce?
Thank you!!
Hi Sara, sorry about the confusion! The recipe format got messed up after a website update and I just fixed it.
If you have the homemade marinade, you can use it to replace all the ingredients under “Marinade”.
So good! I used a bit too much of this jarred black bean and garlic sauce, so next time I will use the recommended amount! But my ribs were amazing. Super happy!
So happy to hear you tried this one out and enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a positive review 🙂
Thank you for another great recipe. I used 1.5 lbs of St Louis Ribs. Very delicious! Even before the steaming, the house was full of the marinating fragrance. I added a little dark soy at the end to give it a little more color. As usual, super easy to make.