Honey Pork Ribs (Sticky Sweet Chinese Pork Ribs Recipe)

This Honey Pork Ribs recipe is simple to make and incredibly delicious, with a sticky sweet glaze that coats the pork ribs beautifully.

This dish is a classic Chinese home-style way of cooking pork ribs using a balance of sweet and savoury seasonings. The honey and rock sugar give the ribs a glossy caramelised coating, while the soy sauce and ginger add depth and fragrance. It’s one of those dishes that pairs perfectly with a bowl of warm rice and is always a favourite at the dinner table.

If you’re looking for a simple Chinese pork rib recipe that’s comforting, flavourful, and easy to cook at home, this Honey Pork Ribs dish is one you’ll definitely want to try.

Watch How to Make Honey Pork Ribs (Sticky Sweet Chinese Pork Ribs Recipe):

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple ingredients that are easy to find
• Sticky sweet glaze that coats the pork ribs beautifully
• A comforting Chinese home-style dish
• Pairs perfectly with warm rice
• Easy to cook with very straightforward steps

What Pork Ribs to Use

For this Honey Pork Ribs recipe, I usually use pork spare ribs cut into smaller pieces. Spare ribs have a good balance of meat and fat, which makes them tender and flavourful when cooked.

You can also use baby back ribs, but I find that they are a little trickier to cook. They are usually leaner, so you need to cook them until they are just cooked through. If you overcook them, the meat can become tough. (note: in my video, I used baby back ribs, but I recommend using spare ribs.)

Ingredients 材料

Main Ingredient

1kg pork spare ribs 1公斤排骨

Cooking

4 tablespoons cooking oil 4汤匙食用油

Marinate 腌料

1/2 teaspoon salt 半茶匙盐
2 teaspoons light soy sauce 2茶匙生抽
2 tablespoons honey 2汤匙蜂蜜
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (optional, to tenderise meat) 1/4茶匙泡打粉（可选，用于嫩化肉质）

Seasoning and Aromatics 调味与香料

3 slices ginger 3片生姜
30 grams rock sugar 30克冰糖
1 teaspoon dark sweet soy sauce 1茶匙老抽
2 tablespoons water 2汤匙水

Garnish 装饰

1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 1/4茶匙烤芝麻
1 spring onion, julienned 1根小葱，切丝

Method:

Prepare the pork ribs

• Rinse the pork ribs with water several times until the water runs clear.
• Transfer the ribs to a mixing bowl.

Marinate the pork ribs

• Add salt.
• Add light soy sauce.
• Add a generous amount of honey.
• Mix well and make sure each piece of pork rib is coated evenly.
• Cover with cling wrap. Place in the fridge and marinate for 1½ hours.

Optional:

• You can also prepare the ribs the day before and leave them to marinate overnight in the fridge or freezer.
• This will make the ribs even more flavourful and tender.

Bring the ribs to room temperature

• After marinating in the fridge, leave the ribs on the counter for about 30 minutes to bring them back to room temperature.

Pan-fry the ribs

• Heat some oil in a wok or pan.
• Do not add too much oil as the oil may splatter.
• Cook the ribs in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Pan fry on low to medium heat. (⚠️ Because there is honey in the marinade, high heat can cause the ribs to burn easily.)
• Cook one side until it turns golden brown, then flip and cook the other side.

Add aromatics and braising liquid

• Once the second batch is done, return the first batch to the wok.
• Add ginger.
• Add rock sugar.
• Add dark soy sauce.
• Add water.
• Toss everything a few times.

Braise the ribs

• Cover with a lid.
• Reduce to the lowest heat.
• Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the meat is just cooked through . (For fall-off-the-bone ribs: Continue cooking on low heat for 1½ to 2 hours. Add water when necessary to prevent the sauce from drying out)

Reduce the sauce

• Increase heat to medium heat.
• Cook until the sauce thickens and forms a sticky glaze. (⚠️ Be careful as the sauce contains sugar and can burn easily.)

Garnish and serve

• Transfer the ribs to a serving plate.
• Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
• Add spring onions.
• Serve warm.

Cooking tips:

Cook the ribs in batches:
Avoid overcrowding the pan (the pork ribs will release too much liquid). Cooking in batches allows the ribs to brown properly.

Use low to medium heat when pan frying:
Honey burns easily, so cooking on high heat may cause the ribs to burn.

Adjust cooking time for texture:
Cooking for about 15-20 minutes or until the meat is just cooked through will give you chewy, tender ribs. If you prefer fall-off-the-bone texture, cook for 1½–2 hours on low heat.

Add water when necessary:
When cooking for a longer time, add water occasionally to prevent the sauce from drying out and burning.

Reduce the sauce carefully:
Increase the heat at the end to thicken the sauce, but watch closely because the sugar in the sauce can burn quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I marinate the ribs overnight?
Yes. Marinating the ribs overnight in the fridge will make them even more flavourful and tender.

Why should I bring the ribs to room temperature before cooking?
This helps the ribs cook more evenly when pan frying.

Why cook the ribs in batches?
Overcrowding the pan prevents proper browning and may cause the ribs to steam instead of sear.

Why is my sauce burning?
This dish contains honey and sugar, which burn easily. Keep the heat low to medium and monitor the sauce closely when reducing.

How do I get fall-off-the-bone ribs?
Braise the ribs on low heat for about 1½ to 2 hours, adding water when necessary.

What to Serve with Honey Pork Ribs

These Honey Pork Ribs go very well with a bowl of warm rice and a simple steamed dish.

If you enjoy simple Chinese home-style cooking, you may also like:

• Steamed Egg with Chicken Essence
• Steamed Fish with Mushrooms
• Steamed Prawns with Glass Noodles

These dishes pair nicely together for a balanced meal.

These Honey Pork Ribs are sweet and incredibly satisfying. With simple ingredients and a sticky glaze, this Chinese pork rib dish is easy to make at home and perfect for a comforting meal with family.

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