THE WUXI RIB: SHANGHAINESE SWEET BRAISED SPARE RIBS

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork spare ribs, cut into individual ribs
• For the braise
• 200 ml Shaoxing wine
• 60 ml dark soy sauce
• 60 ml light soy sauce
• 80 g rock sugar, broken into small pieces
• 30 g fresh ginger, sliced
• 3 star anise
• 1 cassia bark, one small piece
• 500 ml water, enough to come two-thirds up the ribs
• For frying
• 1 litre neutral oil, for deep-frying

Method

1. 1
   Place the individual ribs in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and pat completely dry. The water runs clear when the ribs are sufficiently purged.
2. 2
   Heat the oil to 180 °C. Deep-fry the dried ribs in batches until the exterior is golden brown and the surface shows the first signs of caramelisation. Do not crowd the pot. The ribs are ready when the crust is firm and uniformly golden — this crust is what holds through the long braise.
3. 3
   Transfer the fried ribs to a heavy braising vessel. Add the Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, rock sugar, ginger, star anise, and cassia. Pour in water to come two-thirds up the ribs. Bring to the barest simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low. The surface should barely tremble — a rolling boil toughens the meat and clouds the sauce.
4. 4
   Braise over low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours, turning the ribs gently once halfway through. The dish is ready for the next stage when the meat yields with almost no resistance to a gentle pull at the bone — a slight tug is acceptable; any significant resistance requires more time.
5. 5
   Remove the ribs and set aside. Increase the heat under the braising liquid to medium-high and reduce until approximately one-quarter of the original volume remains and the liquid coats the back of a spoon in a continuous, unbroken ribbon. This is where the dish lives or dies: an insufficiently reduced glaze will not cling to the ribs and the defining Wuxi lacquer will be lost; a glaze reduced too far will turn bitter as the rock sugar passes its target point. Watch the colour — it should be deep mahogany, not black.
6. 6
   Return the ribs to the glaze. Toss immediately — the glaze will seize on contact with the cooler meat. Continue on medium heat for 2 minutes, turning constantly, until the glaze is cohesive, glossy, and coats each rib individually. Remove from the heat the moment this condition is met. The finished rib carries a deep mahogany lacquer that clings visibly and does not drip.
7. 7
   Taste a glazed rib before serving. Sweetness should arrive first and with prominence — this is the Wuxi character. Savoury soy depth follows. Shaoxing wine provides aromatic complexity in the background. The finish must be clean with no lingering greasiness. If the finish is muddy or undifferentiated, the wine proportion was insufficient.