Chinese pork riblets

I headed over to my favorite Asian Market recently and I saw these. They seem to be a popular item at some Chinese take-out places or part of the 'pu-pu' plates. I have never ordered them, but why should I? With a well stocked pantry, and you can make anything... These ribs were about 10 - 12 inches long.



I seasoned them with a simple rub of cracked black pepper, salt, garlic and sugar.


Here are the ingredients for the sauce:


Here are two photos of the finished product. It's funny how lighting does affect a photo and I like how they both appear. The dark version is more how they came out, but the bright glazed ribs look more appealing in my opinion. They were served with maple and brown sugar sweet potatoes.



mark

Yum x 100.  Looks like you nailed it too.

OMG that looks incredible.

I would LOVE the recipe for that sauce.

< please >

DD - Might want to try this one as an alternate next time or combine some of this with your recipe...Your's looks great!  No disrespect intended....

Hoisin - First key ingredient
Catsup
Fresh Ginger
Fresh Garlic
Salt
Sugar or honey
Black Pepper
Sesame Oil
Chinese 5 Spice - The second key ingredient!
Scallions
Red food coloring - Optional
Dry Sherry- third key ingredient
Chili Paste with garlic (not too much) - Like Simbal more tasty.
Bean Paste

Marinate at least 3 hrs.

Get a 2-1/2" deep steam table pan and fill it with about 1" of water.  Lay a rack on the top of the pan and bake the ribs over the water bath at 225.  The water keeps the meat moist..this is how they do it in the Chinese restaurant.  They finish them off under the broiler when ordered by the customers. 

Chinese Roast pork (red is from the food coloring) is also made in this oven, but the marinade is completely different. 

They use a BBQ smoker that is nothing more than a galvanized custom made cabinet with a water pan at the bottom to catch the drippings and provide moisture in the cabinet.  The heat souce is a gas ring burner.  They hang the ribs on rods that go from side to side in the cabinet. 

Do a search for "Chinese BBQ Smokers" or "Chinese BBQ Ovens" or go to "Town Restaurant Equipment, Bowery, NYC" if you want to see one up close and personal.....So basic..so effective.  

You can lay the riblets on the rack and get the same effect.

Great pictures..thanks...

Riblets were big with Applebees for a while.  I think they still use them?  I love them!  The Chinese get "3 and downs" pork ribs (simply means each full rack of ribs is no more than 3 lbs and that means they are from younger porkers). 

They are  very hard to find..You likely have to buy a 30 lb case, but boy there is a huge difference in the ribs.  Can get them at a wholesale meat purveyor in a town with a big Chinese population.

Baaah,


Yeah, it's all good. I like your measurements too. The whole idea is for other folks to try a different BBQ technique and sauce. As I wrote, all you need is a well stocked pantry and go from there.

What you see was just some of the ingredients, I had to gather them back for the shot. Someone PM'ed me for the recipe and I gave the basics using the photo. For instance I did use 5 spice powder.
But I forgot to add that corn starch is important. It is your friend....

mark

This is a definite keeper!

I'll suggest another that I find is quite authentic and I make frequently.

http://forums.chef2chef.net/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=550401&p=553458&hilit=hong+kong+ribs#p553458

They look delicious, doggydaddy!I am impressed with your creativity...

Another winner Mark.

A while back I asked the guy at a local Asian market how they did that sort of thing at restaurants and he sold me this.



I bought five packs - still have four of them.

JohnA - Now that looks interesting.....

John A.

I would try that packet, or should I say, you should try it. Do it for the team. I have seen that brand among others at the Asian market. There is something about the packaging that says to me that it is made by a small local company. Its claims about Hawaii works for me.
Maybe Kona Ernie has a favorite brand?

My problem is that I think I can make it better (I'm close..) or I would doctor and enhance the mix up anyway.

mark

Hi Mark,

I did try it with some country pork ribs and it was good. As good as a chinese restaurant or your recipe? Not hardly but better than I could whip up. I'm goung to give a couple to Baah Ben and let him give it a go.

I'll make Chinese Roast Pork with it...What I will do is take some thin rib loin pork chops and try them.  I will place them on a rack and put them over a water bath and put the in the oven at 375.

I won't do what I normally do and buy a center pork loin roast and cut it into long strips.  I want to see how the marinade tastes....Hey, anything is possible.  Maybe the restaurants do use a dry mix?

I know my Chinese roast pork recipe is not very complicated either.  Far fewer ingredients than the rib marinade.