Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (Dim Sum Recipe)

Did you know that Steamed Spare Ribs with Black Bean Sauce (Dim Sum Recipe) can lock in flavors and tenderness like no other cooking technique? However, many people make common mistakes when preparing them. Watch this video to discover how we can easily fix these issues!

Recipe

Serving: 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

For the spare ribs:
2 pounds spare ribs
4 cups water
1 tablespoon of rice vinegar

For the black bean sauce:
1 tablespoon fermented black beans
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For garnish:
1 mini sweet pepper
2 tablespoons scallions

Instructions

1. Cut the spare ribs:

• Remove the silver skin, as it can make the ribs tough if left on.
• Cut ribs into bite-size pieces.

2. Prepare the spare ribs:

• Place ribs in a large mixing bowl. Add water and rice vinegar and mix well.
• Soak for 5 minutes to remove excess blood and tenderize.
• Drain the liquid and pat the ribs dry.
• Use a fork to poke holes over the ribs to help the marinade penetrate and speed up cooking.

3. Make the aromatic oil:

• Add fermented black beans, ginger, and garlic to a small bowl.
• Heat oil in a pan until smoking hot, then pour over the aromatics.

4. Marinate the ribs:

• In the bowl with the ribs, add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch. Mix well.
• Add the aromatic oil and combine thoroughly.
• Let it marinate for 10 minutes.

5. Steam the ribs:

• Arrange the ribs in a single layer on a plate.
• In a large steamer over high heat, bring water to a boil. Place the plate in the steamer and cover with a lid.
• Steam for 20 minutes, or until ribs are fully cooked (internal temp should be about 195°F/91°C).

6. Serve:

• Garnish with mini sweet pepper slices and scallions. Serve immediately.

Tips & notes

• Removing the silver skin is essential for tenderness—don’t skip this step.
• Using smoking hot oil over the aromatics helps release deep flavor instantly.
• For extra flavor, marinate the ribs for longer or overnight if you have time.
• Serve with hot jasmine rice or as part of a dim sum spread.