Prepare Delicious Pork Ribs in Sweet and Sour Sauce with this Recipe

Pork ribs are a hearty dish, ideal for people with a lot of physical activity. The combination of meat and sweet and sour sauce is simple and delicious.

Reviewed and approved by the nutritionist Maria Patricia Pinero Corredor.

Written by Francisco María García

Last update: 21 December, 2022

Pork ribs in sweet and sour sauce is a delicacy often found in Asian restaurants. However, this is one of those dishes that seem complex but are actually easy to make.

Basically, the secret to the flavor of this dish lies in the sweet and sour sauce. The best thing about using ribs is that their structure and juiciness pleases both children and adults. This can be an excellent option to introduce kids to other types of flavors. Read on and we’ll tell you the recipe.

Properties of sweet and sour sauce

Although it may seem to be just an ingredient for flavor, sweet and sour sauce has considerable nutritional benefits. The mixture of food products used to make it provides vitamins B, C, E, iodine, and other elements that, in small quantities, are beneficial for us.

The best thing about this sauce is that it will be made from mostly natural ingredients. Therefore, it will be better to prepare it at home than to opt for the commercial options in the shops.

A recipe for pork ribs in sweet and sour sauce

The proportion of ingredients below is for four people. Knowing this, you’ll be able to reduce or increase the quantities accordingly.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ kilos (3.3 pounds) of pork ribs
• 4 heads of lettuce
• 1 spring onion
• 1 tablespoon of red pepper (15 g)
• ½ green bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons vinegar (45 ml)
• Olive oil
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Water
• Parsley

Ingredients for the sauce

• ½ cup tomato sauce (plain or ketchup) (100 g)
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (45 ml)
• 2 tablespoons white wine (30 ml)
• 2 tablespoons corn flour (refined) (30 g)
• 3 tablespoons sugar (45 g)
• Water (quantity needed)

Preparation of the pork ribs in sweet and sour sauce:

1. Firstly, prepare the sweet and sour sauce. To do this, place the sugar, rice vinegar, white wine and ketchup in a saucepan. Add a little cold water and heat it for a few minutes until it reduces and acquires consistency.
2. Separate the ribs and place them in a large bowl. Season the meat with salt and pepper and coat each piece evenly with oil.
3. Place everything on a baking tray and put it in the oven at 200ºC (400 F)  for about 25 minutes.
4. Don’t put the meat too close to the top of the oven to prevent burning.
5. Five minutes before the baking time is up, remove the ribs and baste them with the sauce. This will allow the sauce to adhere to the meat and caramelize.
6. Prepare the vinaigrette. To do this we chop the spring onion into fine pieces and the green bell pepper too. Mix both in a bowl with olive oil, paprika, salt, and a little vinegar.
7. Next, open the lettuce heads and spread them in a bowl or plate. On top of them, we’ll pour the vinaigrette we have just prepared.
8. Each portion can be served with 4 pork ribs, which will be accompanied by the lettuce hearts. To finish the preparation of this succulent dish, we’ll use chopped parsley as a decorative element.
9. Add the desired amount of salt and serve hot.

The nutritional content of the dish

The best thing about preparing pork ribs in sweet and sour sauce accompanied with the vinaigrette is that the dish is balanced. Although pork has a significant caloric and fat content, the lack of heavy carbohydrates will balance the scales and make this meal a healthy option.

Baking the pork and using olive oil makes the dish a little less fatty. This oil is an inexhaustible source of fatty acids, with great benefits for our bodies. Its intake contributes to the proper functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and it also has anti-inflammatory properties.

In summary, this recipe for pork ribs in sweet and sour sauce is very simple, and it will always be a great success. Perhaps the most important nutritional aspect is the combination of fats and vegetables to ensure a healthy balance.