BRAISED SPARERIBS

If you're looking for a great recipe for short ribs, this is it! Chinese-style braised short ribs that are sticky, sweet and tangy. I was inspired by Marion Gasby's recipe and I thought of making my own version. I wanted to make the ingredients easy and simple for my viewers to find in the supermarket. Not many of my followers from the Philippines have access to some of the ingredients that's why I created my own. It came out great and I would say that this recipe is a keeper! A dish I will make again and again!

I've researched about parboiling, and I've read different views about it. So, what is it? Parboiling means partial boiling or partially cooking a certain meat or potatoes, etc. With short ribs, I believe parboiling is a necessary step especially with this recipe. The benefits? It gets rid of some of the impurities from the pork, renders down some fats, tenderizes the meat by softening the connective tissues. The latter makes the meat falls off the ribs easily. Yes, it will remove some protein from the meat but if you don't parboil, the meat will stay on the ribs and you won't be able to enjoy this dish.
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So, this recipe is actually super easy to make! After parboiling the meat, just melt the brown sugar in oil and stir-fry the parboiled meat until fully coated with sugar. Then, add the chopped garlic and the thin strips of ginger and cook for about one minute. Next is add the soy sauce, vinegar and water. Simmer for a few minutes then add the star anise and green onions (pale part, end white part). Continue simmering until the oil separate in the bottom of the pan. Then just serve with hot steamed rice if you like and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. And voila! The smell is so goooood! 
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I highly suggest that you try it. You will never regret it! If you try this recipe or if you have comments about it, feel free to use our comment box below this page. Enjoy! 

BRAISED SPARERIBS RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 2 or 2.5 lbs. / 1 kg short ribs
• water for boiling
• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3-4 cloves garlic chopped
• thumb sized ginger, thinly sliced into strips
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar, 5% acidity
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tbsp water
• 3-5 pieces star anise
•  2 pieces greens onion, pale part only
• chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Procedure:

• Slice the spareribs into individual ribs. Place in a pot of water then simmer over high heat .
• Before it reaches boiling point, scum will float on the surface. Make sure to skim off the scum then continue boiling for another 3 minutes.
• Remove the meat from water then transfer to a bowl. Add water to rinse the ribs then transfer the meat to another bowl and set aside to dry for about 10-15 minutes. 
• While waiting, chop the garlic and thinly slice the ginger into strips. Slice the green onions, saving the pale part (about 2-3 inches long) and removing its roots. Prepare the rest of the sauce ingredients and set aside.
• In a wok, heat cooking oil. Add brown sugar and cook over medium-low heat until sugar has melted.
• Add the parboiled ribs and stir until ribs are fully coated about 2-3 minutes. 
• Add garlic and ginger. Cook for about one minute then add soy sauce, vinegar, rice vinegar and water. Do not stir. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes. 
• Remove the cover, stir then add star anise and pale part of green onions. Cover again and simmer for about 30 minutes over medium-love heat, stirring once or twice to avoid burning the bottom.
• This is ready once the oil separates in the bottom of the pan. Remove the star anise if you like then transfer the ribs into a serving bowl or bowl with hot steamed rice to serve.
• Recipe notes below. Enjoy! 

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RECIPE NOTES:

• No rice vinegar? You can use 3 tbsp distilled white vinegar.  But if you have apple cider vinegar, combine 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 1/4 tsp granulated sugar.
• If you can find dark soy sauce, use 1 tbsp dark soy sauce and 2 tbsp regular soy sauce.
• If you are not a fan of ginger, just cut the ginger in big pieces, add it together with the anise then remove later before serving. 
• Do not omit the star anise. It makes the sauce aromatic and flavorful.
• Sesame seeds are best when they are toasted. To toast, heat a small pan or skillet (without oil) over medium heat then add the seeds. Shake the pan until the sesame seeds are golden. 
• Benefits of parboiling:

1. Gets rid of some of the impurities from the pork.
2. Renders down some fats.
3. Tenderizes the meat by softening the connective tissues.

• I hope these tips help! Enjoy :)

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