HEALTHIER SPICY CHINESE MEAT RUB: minimal sugar/fat, dairy-free, wallet-friendly, easy, make-ahead

Healthier rub for that Chinese ribs effect - without a gloopy sugar laden sauce!

updated 2025; original 2015

Healthier Chinese Spicy Belly Pork Strips/Ribs ' 

(option for beef/lamb ribs, chicken thighs/wings and other cuts of meat )

' ...lovely and juicy; I usually avoid ribs because they're so messy!' Taster

                                                                                      

Here's a spiced marinade that will give any cut of pork, beef or chicken the quintessential flavour of  Chinese Spare Rib. 

The great thing about the rub is that it's low-almost-no-sugar.  And because the meat is barbecued, roasted, or grilled on a rack, excess fat is released and drained away.   

There's no gloopy sauce and it's so much healthier than take-aways.  The effect though, is the same -- the meat is tender, exotically flavoured; it chars slightly, leaving lovely crunchy burnished bits.

Use the marinade on any cut of pork, beef or poultry. It's perfect during a heat wave: prep the meat the night before and it'll be ready by dinnertime.  

Some less expensive cuts may need to be poached beforehand to produce meat that is toothsome but falls off the bone.  Pre-cooking also reduces fat. 

The recipe has been in 67's cookbook for ages but may have been adapted from  the (London) Times.

Prep starts the night before.

Feeds: 6-8 (as part if a 3-4 course meal) 
Cost: depends on the meat; £5-10'ish?? (Jan 24)

Ingred:
1 kilo/2 pounds meat (pork ribs, chops, tenderloin, belly, shoulder or pork butt; beef ribs, flank or other from-the-belly steak; strips of rump steak; chicken breasts, legs, wings) 

4 tbsp dry sherry or white wine or grape juice
4 tbsp reduced-salt (not low-salt) soy sauce (if there are blood-pressure issues, replace half the soy sauce with good stock)
1 tbsp sugar (opt)
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced (opt)
1/2 tsp each dried cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 rounded tbsp Dijon or other mild mustard

Method: 

1. Pre-tenderise the day before: Pre-tenderising is a good step for ribs, shoulder, flank, belly but usually not chicken unless using wings or drumsticks (and especially not kosher chicken which is already very tender). Bring a large pan of water to a boil with a couple of onions and carrots (opt)  Immerse meat in the water.  Bring to  the boil again, lower heat to med-low; the water should bubble gently.  Simmer 30 mins or until meat is tender; drain; cool
2. Mix sherry, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, mustard and spices in a glass dish or a freezer bag large enough for the meat. Marinade preferably overnight or min 2 hours, turning the meat or mushing it around at least once.  When meat has marinaded, pour juices into a bowl
3. If using the oven, preheat to 160C, 325F, gas 3. Place meat on a rack in a roasting pan. Bake 45mins-1hr, basting frequently with marinade juices, turn halfway through cooking time 
4. If using air fryer, use oven setting at 160C, 325F, bake 35-45 mins, basting frequently with marinade juices, turn halfway through cooking time  
5. Or BBQ/grill, according to manufacturer's cooking times
6. (Inner temperature of meart should be 70C/150F) 
7. Serve with hot mustard

Comment: 
'The ribs are lovely - I've never eaten ribs before as they always look so messy. Very juicy; soaked into my bread -- grand!' Political Agent

Tips:   

• 67's recommended reduced-salt soy sauce include Amoy 25% reduced salt. 25-35% salt reduced is about right - anything above that percentage suffers from lack of 'body' and taste
• Save time and effort by halving and baking potatoes at the same time or preparing 5-minute Asian noodles.  A quick layered spinach salad makes a well-rounded meal.
• If you love Chinese food but worry about salt and sugar, try Guilt-free Oriental Chicken with Chilli & Pineapple 

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This recipes has been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.