Emeril's Szechuan Style Spareribs
This is a recipe I seen on Emeril live for Szechuan Spareribs. Enjoy.
This is a recipe I seen on Emeril live for Szechuan Spareribs. Enjoy.
- 1 slab pork spareribs (4 pound)
- 1/4 cup chinese rice wine (plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (plus 2 tablespoons)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chile garlic sauce
- 1 1/4 teaspoons chinese five-spice powder
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Carbohydrate 20.8162652772183 g
- Cholesterol 0.32 mg
- Fat 5.71758611105636 g
- Fiber 0.734694438116094 g
- Protein 3.27372222213429 g
- Saturated Fat 0.819580555549999 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (73g)
- Sodium 1517.56333333319 mg
- Sugar 20.0815708391022 g
- Trans Fat 0.281376944405873 g
- Calories 152 calories
Step-by-step
- Using a sharp knife, cut the slab of ribs between the bones into individual ribs. Place in a stock pot or large soup pot and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a steady simmer, and cook until the ribs are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, skimming the surface of any scum that rises to the top while cooking. Remove the ribs to a large bowl and set aside to cool completely. (Reserve the pork stock for another purpose.)
- Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, garlic, chile garlic sauce and five-spice powder and whisk to blend. Pour half of the marinade over the cooled ribs and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours or up to overnight. Reserve the remaining half of the marinade in a non-reactive container and refrigerate.
- Preheat the broiler and position a rack in the upper third of the oven.
- To the remaining half of the marinade, add the honey and sesame oil and whisk to combine. Remove the ribs from the refrigerator and transfer to an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Brush with some of the remaining marinade-honey mixture and broil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the ribs are crispy on the upper edges. Remove the ribs from the oven and turn to the other side, brush with some of the remaining marinade mixture and broil again for about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve hot.
Dividing the cooking process between gentle simmering and high-heat broiling is the singular factor that prevents tough meat and burnt glazes. Spareribs contain dense connective tissue that requires prolonged, moist heat to break down properly. Boiling the pork individually cut bones in a large stock pot for up to 90 minutes renders collagen into gelatin without drying the muscle fibers. Skimming surface scum during this phase keeps the liquid clean if reserved for stock. Szechuan preparations rely on balancing numbing heat with pungent aromatics like garlic and five-spice powder. Combining base ingredients early allows deep penetration into the porous protein, while sugars added late prevent scorching.
Building the Marinade Foundation
Submerging pre-cooked ribs in a mixture of Chinese rice wine, soy sauce, hoisin, and chile garlic sauce for at least two hours seasons the interior thoroughly. Direct contact between the liquid and meat ensures even salt distribution before any finishing heat is applied. Dividing the marinade reserves half for raw contact and prevents cross-contamination.Finishing with High Heat
Honey and sesame oil join the reserved liquid only during the final glazing stage. Brushing this viscous mixture onto aluminum foil-lined baking sheets promotes rapid caramelization under an upper-third oven broiler. Monitoring the process closely for four to five minutes per side yields crispy edges without turning the high sugar content into bitter carbon. Chinese regional styles traditionally emphasize contrasting textures, achieved here by pairing tender interiors with a sticky exterior crust.
