Clove-Scented Lu Shui Braised Pork Ribs

Quick answer

Total time: 80 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Clove-Scented Lu Shui Braised Pork Ribs is a Taiwanese-style dish featuring tender meat coated in a glossy, aromatic sauce.

The cooking process starts by soaking the ribs in cold water to extract blood and blanching them to remove impurities. Rock sugar is then melted and caramelized in oil to create a deep amber base that gives the pork a mahogany finish. Sautéing the ribs with five cloves, two star anise, sliced ginger, and green onion allows the spices to bloom. The ribs are braised with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and water on low heat for forty to fifty minutes. This slow cooking makes the meat tender enough to slip off the bone. Uncovering the pan for the final minutes reduces the liquid into a glaze. The strong aroma of cloves requires keeping to the specified count to maintain flavor balance.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

Pork ribs800 gg

Cloves5 piecespieces

Star anise2 piecespieces

Ginger20 gg

Green onion1 stalkstalk

Soy sauce100 mlml

Dark soy sauce1 tbsptbsp

Rock sugar30 gg

Shaoxing wine2 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Soak 800g pork ribs in cold water for 30 minutes to draw out blood, then blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam and impurities before draining.
2

Control

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat, add 30g rock sugar, and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until the sugar melts and turns deep amber in color.
3

Control

Add the blanched ribs to the pan and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, turning them frequently so the caramel coats all sides evenly and glossily.
4

Control

Add 5 cloves, 2 star anise, 20g sliced ginger, and 1 green onion stalk, then stir-fry over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the spices bloom and release a warm, sweet aroma.
5

Control

Pour in 100ml soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, and enough water (about 500-600ml) to fully submerge the ribs, then bring to a vigorous boil over high heat.
6

Control

Cover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 40-50 minutes until the meat pulls away from the bone easily, then uncover for the final 5 minutes to reduce the braising liquid to a glossy, concentrated sauce.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Clove-scented Lu Shui pork ribs are braised in a deep, resinous broth of star anise and cloves.
Finish cue: Cover and reduce heat to low, simmering for 40-50 minutes until the meat pulls away from the bone easily, then uncover for the final 5 minutes to reduce the braising liquid to a glossy, concentrated sauce.