Steamed Pork Ribs with Rice Flour is a classic steamed dish. The ribs are coated in toasted rice flour and steamed until tender and flavorful. The meaty aroma blends with the toasted rice, leaving a mouthwatering taste in every bite. The potatoes or sweet potatoes at the bottom soak up all the meat juices, becoming soft and sweet—sometimes even more popular than the meat! It’s not hard to make; the key lies in marinating the ribs and making the rice flour.
Prep time: 40 minutes (plus 1–2 hours marinating) | Cook time: 1 hour | Serves: 3–4
🌴 Ingredients:
· Pork spare ribs, 500g (about 1.1 lb; ask the butcher to cut them into small, 1.5-inch / 4cm pieces across the bone)
🌴 For the Base:
· Potato, 1 (about 150g; cut into 2cm / ¾-inch chunks or thick slices; sweet potato or pumpkin works great too)
🌴 Aromatics:
· Minced ginger, a small piece (about 5g)
· Minced garlic, 3 cloves (about 10g)
· Chopped scallion, a little (for garnish)
🌴 For Marinating the Ribs:
· Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp (about 30ml)
· Dark soy sauce, ½ tbsp (about 7.5ml)
· Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp (about 15g)
· Cooking wine, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
· Fermented bean curd liquid, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; highly recommended for authentic flavor, but can be skipped if unavailable)
· Sugar, ½ tsp (about 2.5g; for umami, don’t add too much)
· White pepper powder, a pinch (about 0.5g)
· Pixian broad bean paste (Doubanjiang), 1 tbsp (about 15g; finely minced, optional. If using, do not add extra salt)
· Cooking oil, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; to lock in moisture so the ribs don’t dry out)
🌴 For the Rice Flour (Skip if using store-bought):
· White rice, 50g (about ¼ cup)
· Glutinous rice, 20g (about 2 tbsp; adds extra chewiness)
· Sichuan peppercorns, a small pinch (about 1g)
· Star anise, 1 (about 1g)
🌴 Instructions:
- Toast the Rice Flour (Skip if using store-bought)
Mix the white rice and glutinous rice with the Sichuan peppercorns and star anise. Put them in a dry pan and toast over low heat until the rice turns slightly golden, smells fragrant, and the spices are aromatic. Let it cool completely, then blend it into coarse granules (about the size of coarse sugar or small grains of rice). Don’t blend it too fine. ⚠️ Tip: Toast over low heat and don’t burn it. Blending while hot makes it clump and turn sticky. Too fine and it gets gluey when steamed; too coarse and it won’t stick to the ribs. - Marinate the Ribs
Chop the ribs into small pieces, soak them in cold water for 15–20 minutes to draw out the blood, then rinse and drain well. Add minced ginger, garlic, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, ½ tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp fermented bean curd liquid, ½ tsp sugar, a pinch of white pepper, and 1 tbsp cooking oil. Mix well and marinate for 30 minutes (or refrigerate for 1–2 hours for deeper flavor). If you like it spicy, add 1 tbsp of finely minced broad bean paste. ⚠️ Tip: Soaking removes the blood so it won’t smell gamey. Draining well helps the marinade stick. Marinate for at least 30 minutes—the longer, the better. The oil locks in moisture so the ribs stay juicy. - Coat with Rice Flour
Add the rice flour to the marinated ribs in 2–3 batches, mixing well after each addition, until the ribs are evenly coated and the flour doesn’t fall off. Don’t coat them too thickly. ⚠️ Tip: Adding it in batches ensures even coating without clumps. If it’s too dry, add a splash of water to help the flour stick. A thin, even layer is enough—too thick and it turns dry when steamed. - Prepare the Base
Peel the potato and cut it into 2cm (¾-inch) chunks or thick slices. You can toss them with a pinch of salt first. Spread them evenly at the bottom of a heatproof bowl. Arrange the coated ribs neatly on top of the potatoes. ⚠️ Tip: Cut them about 2cm thick—too thin and they turn to mush; too thick and they won’t absorb the flavor. A pinch of salt gives the potatoes a base flavor. Sweet potato or pumpkin also work beautifully and soak up the meat juices. - Steam
Add water to a steamer and bring it to a boil. Place the bowl in the steamer and steam over high heat for 10 minutes to set the rice flour coating. Then reduce to medium-low heat and steam for 40–50 minutes, until the ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender. ⚠️ Tip: High heat first sets the coating so it doesn’t fall off; then medium-low heat steams it through. Covering the bowl with a plate prevents water droplets from dripping in and making it watery. Add enough water at the start and don’t open the lid midway. It’s done when a chopstick pierces the meat easily and it falls off the bone. Pressure cooker method: steam for 20 minutes, then let it release pressure naturally before opening. - Serve
Remove from the steamer, sprinkle with chopped scallion, and optionally add a pinch of white pepper or a few drops of sesame oil. Serve hot—the ribs are tender and sticky, and the potatoes are soft and savory. ⚠️ Tip: Add the scallions after steaming for the best aroma and color. If you used broad bean paste, do not add any more salt—it’s already salty enough.
💡 Tips:
Toast the rice over low heat until golden and fragrant, let it cool completely before blending into coarse granules (about the size of coarse sugar). Soak the ribs in cold water for 15–20 minutes to remove the blood, drain well, and marinate for at least 30 minutes (longer is better). Add a tablespoon of oil to the marinade to lock in moisture. Coat the ribs with rice flour in 2–3 batches—just a thin layer that doesn’t fall off. Cut the potatoes into 2cm chunks and season with a pinch of salt. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes to set the coating, then reduce to medium-low heat for 40–50 minutes (or 20 minutes in a pressure cooker with natural pressure release). Garnish with scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Done this way, the ribs are tender and flavorful, falling off the bone with every bite!
This Steamed Pork Ribs with Rice Flour is savory, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth—the ribs fall off the bone, and the vegetables at the bottom soak up all the meaty juices. It’s incredibly satisfying with rice. If you like this steamed style, you can also try my previously posted Steamed Pork with Rice Flour . For more classic hearty dishes, check out my Main Dishes category!
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