Sườn Xào Chua Ngọt – Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs

These quick Vietnamese sweet and sour pork ribs are a classic Vietnamese appetiser, perfect for sharing at family dinners or special occasions. I make my own recipe with bite-sized pieces of pork ribs browned in a secret sweet and sour sauce of vinegar, oyster sauce, and fish sauce.

Vietnamese sweet and sour pork ribs are a dish from my childhood. On special occasions or holidays, my mother would buy a large quantity of ribs since we had a big family and set aside a portion to make this sweet and sour pork ribs dish, while using the rest for pork rib soup.

To this day, whenever I eat Vietnamese sweet and sour pork ribs, memories flood back of those cherished moments when our family gathered for a cozy meal. In this post, I will show you how to make authentic Vietnamese sweet and sour pork ribs quickly.

What are Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs?

Sườn Xào Chua Ngọt, or Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs, is a stir-fry of pork spare ribs and vegetables coated with sweet and sour sauce. The pork spare ribs are usually cut into bite-sized pieces, then stir-fried with vegetables such as carrots, onions, and bell peppers, and It’s often served with steamed rice.

In just a few simple steps, I will show you how to make the best sweet and sour pork ribs that are incredibly easy to prepare yet rival restaurant quality. However, you need to gather all the necessary ingredients first; be sure to read the guidelines below on how to select them so you are fully prepared.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

For this Vietnamese sweet and sour pork ribs recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Pork Ribs – You can use any cut of pork ribs: St. Louis ribs, baby back ribs, spare ribs, and country ribs.

Pork spare ribs are more commonly sold, and that’s what I’m using here.

Bell peppers – I use three colours of bell peppers; they add eye-catching colour to the dish and provide a natural, sweet crunch and a mild aroma.

Onions – Add mild sweetness to the dish.

Carrots – Add colour to the dish.

Fish sauce – Adds moderate saltiness to the dish; when combined with vinegar and sugar, it balances the flavour.

Oyster sauce – Gives the ribs and vegetables an appealing appearance, providing a harmonious balance of salty and sweet flavours, along with umami that makes the dish richer and more flavorful.

Tomato sauce – Adds a beautiful red colour and a natural sweet-and-sour flavour to the dish.

Chilli sauce – Adds a spicy kick that makes dishes richer and more delicious; you can adjust the heat level to suit your taste. In this recipe, I use the Chinsu brand for the best flavour

Sugar – Smooths out the salty notes of fish sauce and brings a gentle sweetness. I use regular white sugar, but golden or dark brown sugar works too, adding richer colour and flavour.

Rice Vinegar/White vinegar – The bright acidity of rice vinegar tenderises the meat and cuts through the richness of the ribs, creating a perfectly balanced bite.

Ginger and Garlic – Helps remove the gamey smell, and garlic creates a classic Asian aroma.

Green Onions/Scallions (optional for garnish) – Thinly sliced to add freshness and a pop of colour to the finished dish.

Black pepper, Salt, Granulated sugar

Once you have prepared and processed all the ingredients, follow these steps.

How to make Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs?

Step 1: Cut the pork spare ribs into bite-size pieces

You can find pork spare ribs at Asian grocery stores, where they come in strings rather than large slabs. Separate the string of ribs by cutting between the bones to get short pieces of ribs.

If you have a large slab of pork ribs instead, start by cutting between the bones. Then use a sharp Asian meat cleaver to chop them into 1×2 inch pieces. Do not try to use your regular knives for this. You will ruin it!

A meat cleaver is thick and heavy, perfect for slicing through bones without damaging your knife. Just remember to keep your precious fingers safe.

Step 2: Parboil the pork ribs

Add smashed ginger and water to a pot and bring to a boil, then add the bite-size pork ribs to parboil for 1 minute, then drain into a colander in the sink and rinse well.

This parboiling step clears away any impurities and tiny bone bits that might linger in the glaze. It also helps banish any unwanted porky aroma.

Step 3: Prepare the vegetables

Chop the bell pepper, carrot, and onion into bite-sized, 1×1 inch pieces. Save a bit of the onion core for the rib marinade.

Step 4: Marinate the ribs

Mix the minced garlic and chopped onions with water, then strain the mixture and use the liquid to marinate the parboiled pork ribs for 15 minutes.

This helps the ribs stay more aromatic when fried.

Step 5: Make the sauce

Combine tomato sauce, chilli sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, white vinegar, black pepper, MSG, and sugar in a small bowl until everything is dissolved and glossy.

You can adjust the flavour of these Vietnamese Sweet and Sour pork ribs by increasing or decreasing the amount of sauce; if you like it spicy, add more chilli sauce, or if you prefer more sauce, add more tomato ketchup.

Step 6: Pan-fry marinated ribs until golden brown

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the marinated pork ribs to fry until golden brown, then set aside.

This step improves the flavour and gives the pork ribs a good texture.

Step 7: Stir-fry the pork ribs and vegetables

In a large skillet or pan, add onions and garlic to the oil for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the golden-brown pork ribs, sliced bell peppers, carrots, and onions to stir-fry for about a minute.

Pour in the sauce and toss everything to coat evenly.

Step 8: Assemble and serve

Garnish Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs with the chopped green onions and serve with steamed rice or noodles.

You might want to consider a few dishes that pair well with Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs:

• Canh Sườn Heo – Vietnamese pork rib soup

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