Mom's "Sweet 'n Sours" Pork Ribs

4.7
(248)

My mom's longtime sweet and sour spare ribs recipe that she learned from my grandmother who has long passed on. Combines soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, garlic, as well as a few other simple ingredients to make a delicious sauce for cut ribs. Great over rice, too — some say rice with this sauce is their favorite food! A Lechner family tradition.

A serving of mom's sweet 'n sour pork ribs, topped with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion
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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon pepper

  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard

  • 2 cups water

  • ½ cup soy sauce

  • ½ cup vinegar

  • 2 pounds pork spareribs, cut into bite size pieces

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Ingredients to make mom's sweet 'n sour pork ribs

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  2. Mix sugar, flour, salt, pepper, and mustard in a bowl.

    A bowl with sugar, flour, salt, pepper, and mustard being whisked together

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  3. Stir in water, soy sauce, and vinegar.

    A bowl of sweet 'n sour sauce with a whisk

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  4. Place ribs in a pot with enough water to cover.

    A large pot with pieces of pork spareribs covered in water

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  5. Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, and drain.

    A pot with pieces of pork spareribs boiling in water

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  6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown ribs on all sides.

    A pan with seared pieces of pork sparerib

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  7. Mix in sauce mixture.

    A pan with browned pieces of pork spareribs cooking in sweet and sour sauce

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  8. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

    A pan with pieces of pork spare ribs in thickened sweet and sour sauce

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  9. Mix in garlic and continue cooking for 15 minutes, or to desired doneness.

    A pan of sweet and sour pork with chopped garlic

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

309 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

669 Calories
34g Fat
59g Carbs
32g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 669
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 34g 43%
Saturated Fat 12g 58%
Cholesterol 120mg 40%
Sodium 2482mg 108%
Total Carbohydrate 59g 21%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 51g
Protein 32g 64%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 63mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 407mg 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.