Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce
豆豉蒸排骨
Recipe overview
Steamed Pork Ribs with Black Bean Sauce is a common Hong Kong home-style steamed dish. It is savoury and goes very well with rice. The method is not too complicated, but the pork ribs must be rinsed clean, drained well, seasoned evenly, and not piled too thick on the plate, otherwise the center may not cook through easily. New helpers should learn to control the amount of black beans and soy sauce to avoid making the dish too salty.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 500g pork ribs, chopped into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
- 2 cloves garlic
- A little grated ginger, optional
- 1 spring onion, optional
- A little red pepper, optional, for colour only
Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
- A little sesame oil, optional
- A little white pepper, optional
02
Tools
- 1 steaming wok or steamer
- 1 steaming wok or steamer
- 1 steaming rack
- 1 deep plate
- 1 large bowl
- 2-3 small bowls
- 1 chopping board
- 1 kitchen knife
- 1 pair of chopsticks or 1 spoon
- 1 pair of chopsticks or 1 spoon
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare the Ingredients
Prepare the pork ribs, black beans, garlic, ginger, seasonings and steaming plate.
Step 2
Wash Pork Ribs
Rinse the pork ribs with clean water to remove blood and small bone fragments.
Step 3
Drain Pork Ribs
Drain the pork ribs well. You may also pat them dry gently with kitchen paper. If the ribs are too wet, the seasoning will be weaker.
Step 4
Prepare Black Beans
Rinse the black beans briefly with clean water, then chop or crush them slightly so the flavour spreads more evenly.
Step 5
Chop Garlic
Peel and chop the garlic. Grate a little ginger if using.
Step 6
Add Seasoning
Put the ribs in a large bowl, then add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, water, black beans and chopped garlic.
Step 7
Add Starch and Oil
Mix in cornstarch evenly, then add a little cooking oil or sesame oil so the ribs stay smoother after steaming.
Step 8
Marinate Ribs
Let the ribs marinate for about 15 to 20 minutes so the flavour goes in better.
Step 9
Spread on Plate
Spread the ribs evenly on a deep plate. Do not pile them too thick, or they will not cook through easily.
Step 10
Prepare the Steamer
Add water to the steamer, place the steaming rack inside, and bring the water to a boil.
Step 11
Steam Ribs
After the water boils, put in the plate of ribs, cover with the lid, and steam over medium heat for about 15 to 18 minutes until fully cooked.
Step 12
Check and Serve
Make sure there is no blood and the meat is fully cooked. Sprinkle spring onion or red pepper if desired and serve hot.
Common mistakes
- The pork ribs are not drained, so the seasoning becomes weak.
- Too much black bean or soy sauce makes the dish too salty.
- The ribs are piled too thick and the center is hard to cook through.
- The plate is put in before the water boils, making the timing inaccurate.
- Steaming too long makes the ribs tough.
- The doneness is not checked, so there may still be blood near the bone.
Tips
The most important points are keeping the ribs dry enough, spreading them in a thin even layer, and steaming only after the water boils. Black beans are already salty, so do not add too much soy sauce the first time. Before serving, always check that the ribs are fully cooked, especially near the bone.
