Honey Pork Spare Ribs

Name: Honey Pork Spare Ribs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 600 g / 1.3 lb pork spare rib ((cut into 2cm/0.8" segments)); 2 carrot ((cut into 3cm/1.2" chunks)); 2 potato ((skin removed and cut into 3cm/1.2" chunks)); 1 onion ((quartered)); 2 cloves garlic ((finely chopped)); 1 tsp salt ((or to taste)); 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon powder; 1/2 tsp pepper; 2 tbsp oyster sauce ((or a vegetarian alternative)); 1 tbsp honey ((or to taste)); 2 tbsp oil

Mum’s Honey Pork Spare Ribs are so finger lickin’ delicious that you’ll be craving it again and again! Everything’s stir fried in aromatics, then coated with oyster sauce and honey. Serve it fresh for a fabulously sticky sweet and savory glaze.

If you love spare ribs, try it with Chinese black vinegar, black bean sauce, congee or in a noodle soup!

Close up of Honey Pork Spare Ribs in a bowl.

Simple, delicious comfort food

Mum’s Honey Pork Spare Ribs is a dish that my brother are I miss dearly. If you’ve been following our family’s cooking journey for some time, then you’d know that Mum has been a vegetarian for a number of years.

While we support her decision, it doesn’t stop the fact that we miss her meat recipes every day (her Vietnamese Chicken Tapioca Noodle Soup is what I think about the most).

That’ why I made it my mission to preserve this recipe. It was Mum’s go-to back in the day because it’s incredibly easy to put together. The combination sweet and salty flavors are simmered until infused into every bite, meaning you have the ultimate comfort food over a bowl of rice.

If there was a dish that I’d go seconds for, it’d be this.

Make it for your family this coming week and you’ll see why we love it so much!

Honey Pork Spare Ribs in a bowl of white rice.

Why this recipe works

It’s easy to put together, making it the perfect weeknight dinner side dish.
Using a simple seasoning combination means you’ll get to enjoy the natural taste of honey.
Adding vegetables like carrot and potato makes the dish a balanced one.

What you’ll need

A bowl of pork spare ribs along with a colander of carrot and potato chunks alongside dishes of oyster sauce, chopped garlic, honey, oil, pepper, chicken bouillon powder and salt next to a colander of cut onion.

About the meat

Mum has always used pork spare ribs for this recipe, but you can switch it up for whichever protein you like. You can even make it meatless by using your favorite mushrooms or firm or fried tofu instead.

How to make this recipe

Chopped garlic and onion in a pan with a wooden spoon in it.

Heat up the pan or wok on high heat. When hot, pour in the oil and lower the heat to medium. Add the onions in and stir for 20 seconds, then throw in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds or until aromatic.

A pan with pork spare rib pieces cooking in it.

Turn the heat up to high and pour the meat in. Toss everything in the wok or pan for 2 minutes.

Carrot and potato chunks in a pan with pork spare ribs.

After the two minutes, add the carrots and potatoes. Stir the ingredients for 20 seconds.

A lid over a pan of pork spare ribs and vegetables.

Season with the salt, chicken bouillon powder, pepper, oyster sauce and honey. Toss everything until well combined, then put the lid on. Let it come to a boil.

Cooked pork spare ribs and carrot and potato chunks in a pan.

When boiling, immediately turn the heat down to medium for the ingredients to simmer for 20 minutes or until soft. Make sure the lid is partially on at this point.

Pro Tip: After 10 minutes, give the ingredients a stir so they don’t burn.

Serve immediately as is with rice!

Recipe FAQs

What can I use instead of honey?

Foy anyone who won’t be using honey as a sweetener, you can replace it with light corn syrup, brown sugar or just regular sugar instead. Make sure to adjust the sweetness to your taste so that you get the best results for your liking.

How do you soften hard vegetables?

If you find that your potato and carrot chunks are still hard, simply let the dish simmer for longer over a medium heat. The longer they slowly cook for, the softer they’ll be. It’s also a great way for the ingredients to absorb more of the seasoning’s flavor!

Can I add other vegetables?

Certainly! Adding more vegetables would be a great way to eat more greens and fiber. I would recommend firmer ones like broccoli or capsicum because they’ll withstand the heat and still retain most of their shape.

Tips for the best results

Cut the vegetables into larger chunks. They’ll be more enjoyable to bite into and will hold their shape when simmering.
Leave meat on both sides of the bone. When you cut the pork, leave about 5mm (0.2″) on either side of each rib so there’s meat to hold the bone in place. Otherwise, it could fall off as it cooks.
Season with honey last. This will keep the flavor potent and on the surface of each meat piece.

What to serve it with

Get everyone excited by starting with Dad’s Chinese Garlic Butter Beef (蒜子牛柳) served with hot garlic bread.
Grandma’s Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry and Dad’s Steamed Three Colored Eggs (三色蒸水蛋) will create harmony with their simple flavor profile.
To get more greens in, enjoy a side of Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (蠔油芥籣).
A classic Dried Scallop and Egg White Fried Rice (瑤柱蛋白炒飯) will be a fantastic base for your meal.
Chinese Artichoke Soup (百合花湯) is a soothing and light way to bring it all together.
Make some Chinese Mango Pudding (芒果布丁) ahead of time and enjoy it for dessert!

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