Northern-Style Soy-Braised Pork Ribs with Flat Green Beans and Potatoes

Name: Northern-Style Soy-Braised Pork Ribs with Flat Green Beans and Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 3 lb pork ribs, cut into 2–3 rib segments; 12 oz flat green beans, trimmed; cut into 2–3 inch pieces; 1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled if you want; cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks; 3 scallions, whites and greens separated; 6 cloves garlic, smashed; 1 (2-inch) knob ginger, sliced; 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (optional, for color); 2 tbsp sugar; 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (plus more to serve); 2 cups hot water, plus more as needed; 1 tbsp neutral oil; 1 star anise (optional); 1 small dried chile (optional)

Judah Newman

A cozy northern Chinese-style soy braise: pork ribs get gently simmered until tender in a savory, lightly sweet sauce, then flat green beans and potatoes finish in the same pot to soak up all that flavor. The potatoes turn silky at the edges and the beans stay bright and snappy if you add them near the end. Great with steamed rice and a splash of black vinegar at the table.

braise
pork
weeknight
northern chinese

1 hr 45 min total · 15 min prep · 1 hr 30 min cook

Serves 4

790 kcal · 45g protein · 36g carbs · 50g fat total

Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid

Ingredients

Instructions

Start the braise

Rinse and pat the ribs dry. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. Brown ribs in batches until they’re nicely golden with some caramelized spots, 6–10 minutes total. You’re looking for deep browning and a toasty aroma, not burnt bits.

Lower heat to medium. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Stir 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Add soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and hot water (and star anise/chile if using). Scrape up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, then cover and keep it at a gentle bubble.

Braise 45–60 minutes, stirring once or twice. The liquid should stay at a steady simmer; add a splash of hot water if it reduces too fast.

Add potatoes, then beans

Add the potatoes, tuck them into the liquid, and cover. Simmer 18–25 minutes until a fork slides into a potato chunk with only slight resistance.

Add the flat green beans. Cover and simmer 6–10 minutes until the beans are bright green and tender-crisp (they should still have a little snap).

Finish and serve

Uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. The sauce should cling lightly to the ribs and potatoes; if it’s still watery, keep simmering uncovered.

Taste and adjust: add a small splash more black vinegar for lift, or a pinch more sugar if it tastes harsh.

Sprinkle with sliced scallion greens and serve with steamed rice. Put extra black vinegar on the table for dipping/drizzling.

Notes

Potato timing: add them when the ribs are partway tender so they don’t disintegrate. Hawthorn berries (dried) idea: they’re tart and a little tannic. A few (1–2 tbsp) tied in a small sachet and simmered for the last 20–30 minutes can add a gentle fruity sour note, but too many can make the braise read “medicinal” and can tighten the sauce with astringency. If you try it, start small, pull the sachet when the aroma turns fruit-tea-like, then finish with black vinegar as usual. No cornstarch needed; reducing uncovered at the end gives you a glossy sauce.