Salt and Pepper Short Ribs

Did you hear that CRUNCH?

Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, sharing my super easy Salt and Pepper Short Ribs recipe.

The short ribs are coated in an addicting salt and pepper seasoning that is finger-licking good.

You will never believe how easy it is to make restaurant-style crunchy Salt and Pepper Short Ribs at home!

If you don’t eat pork or meat, try my Salt and Pepper Tofu recipe that takes less than 25 minutes and is super delicious! 

Whenever I have dim sum, I always order Salt and Pepper Short Ribs.

I love how crispy and juicy the short ribs are, and the salt and pepper seasoning gets you reaching for more. Since lock-down, my goal has been to recreate restaurant-quality dishes at home.

There are many variations, and every restaurant has its take on the seasoning mix.

There is the Taiwanese version (a little sweeter), the Chinese Sichuan version (more numbing), and also a classic HK Style version (salt and white pepper).

I love all the variations, so my homemade Salt and Pepper Short Ribs versions combine all three.

I promise that your Salt and Pepper Short Ribs will be both crispy and juicy!

First, marinate the short ribs with soy sauce, garlic powder, white pepper, Chinese cooking wine, egg, and corn starch.

The marinade will help tenderize the meat and act as a batter, which will help coat the tapioca starch and prevent the meat from overcooking.

Coat the short ribs with tapioca starch, let it sit for 5 minutes, and deep fry for 6-7 minutes.

Next is the crucial step: turn the heat up to high, and double fry for another 1-2 minutes, so the short ribs become extra crispy! 

Even though it is called Salt and Pepper Short Ribs, many other spices make up the seasoning powder.

I use white pepper, salt, ground Sichuan pepper, garlic powder, ground chili, and mushroom powder.

If you have never tried white pepper before, it is a staple ingredient in Asian cuisine. White pepper is spicier than black pepper, so a little goes a long way!

Another essential ingredient is a mushroom powder; I am using LKK Mushroom Powder which contains MSG, to give you the restaurant-style quality.

But you can also grind up dehydrated shiitake mushroom for natural MSG flavors.

Do you want more TAKEOUT recipes? Here are some recipes from my Better than Takeout Series!

• Beef and Broccoli Noodles
• Din Tai Fung Egg Fried Rice (20 Minutes!)
• Taiwanese Chicken Cutlets (EASY!)
• Garlic Black Pepper Chicken (20 Minutes only!)

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 lb of Pork Short Ribs 
• 2 tbsp of Soy Sauce 
• 1 tbsp of White Pepper 
• 1 tbsp of Garlic Powder 
• 2.5 tbsp of Chinese Cooking Wine (optional) 
• 1 Large Egg 
• 3 tbsp of Corn Starch 
• ¼ cup of Tapioca Starch 

Seasoning Powder: 

• ¾ tsp of salt 
• ½ tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of white pepper 
• ½ tsp of ground Sichuan peppercorn 
• 1 tsp of mushroom powder 
• ¼ tsp of ground chili 

Rest of the dish: 

• 6 cloves of garlic (minced) 
• 3 red chili (chopped) 
• 2 green onion (chopped)

1. Cut short ribs into bite-size pieces. Wash the short ribs with salt or baking soda for 2-3 minutes, scrubbing the bone and the meat. Drain, pat dry, and set aside. 
2. Marinate the short ribs with 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of white pepper, 1 tbsp of garlic powder, 2.5 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine (optional), one egg, and 3 tbsp of corn starch for at least 20 minutes.
3. Coat the short ribs with tapioca starch and let them rest for 5 minutes. 
4. In a pot, add in oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add in the short ribs and deep for 6-7 minutes. Remove and set aside. 
5. Turn the heat up to high, add back in the short ribs, and double fry for another 1-2 minutes
6. Add minced garlic, white parts of the green onion, and chopped red chili in a separate pan. Saute together for 1-2 minutes. 
7. Finally, add in short ribs, salt and pepper seasoning, and statue on high heat for another 1 minute. 

Print

Salt and Pepper Short Ribs

Did you hear that CRUNCH? Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, sharing my super easy Salt and Pepper Short Ribs recipe. The short ribs are coated in an addicting salt and pepper seasoning that is finger-licking good. You will never believe how easy it is to make restaurant-style crunchy Salt and Pepper Short Ribs at home! If you don’t eat pork or meat, try my Salt and Pepper Tofu recipe that takes less than 25 minutes and is super delicious!

Prep Time25 mins

Active Time25 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American, Asian, Chinese, Taiwanese

Keyword: Appetizers, Asian Food, Asian Recipe Easy, Asian Recipes, Asian Recipes for Dinner, Authentic asian recipes, Chinese american food, Chinese Food, dinner Ideas, Easy Recipes, Pork

Yield: 4 People

Materials

• 1.5 lb of Pork Short Ribs
• 2 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp of White Pepper
• 1 tbsp of Garlic Powder
• 2.5 tbsp of Chinese Cooking Wine optional
• 1 Large Egg
• 3 tbsp of Corn Starch
• ¼ cup of Tapioca Starch

Seasoning Powder:

• ¾ tsp of salt
• ½ tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of white pepper
• ½ tsp of ground Sichuan peppercorn
• 1 tsp of mushroom powder
• ¼ tsp of ground chili

Rest of the dish:

• 6 cloves of garlic minced
• 3 red chili chopped
• 2 green onion chopped

Instructions

• Cut short ribs into bite-size pieces. Wash the short ribs with salt or baking soda for 2-3 minutes, scrubbing the bone and the meat. Drain, pat dry, and set aside.
• Marinate the short ribs with 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of white pepper, 1 tbsp of garlic powder, 2.5 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine (optional), one egg, and 3 tbsp of corn starch for at least 20 minutes.
• Coat the short ribs with tapioca starch and let them rest for 5 minutes.
• In a pot, add in oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add in the short ribs and deep for 6-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Turn the heat up to high, add back in the short ribs, and double fry for another 1-2 minutes
• Add minced garlic, white parts of the green onion, and chopped red chili in a separate pan. Saute together for 1-2 minutes.
• Finally, add in short ribs, salt and pepper seasoning, and statue on high heat for another 1 minute.

Notes

I am using LKK Mushroom Powder which contains MSG, to give you the restaurant-style quality. But you can also grind up dehydrated shiitake mushroom for natural MSG flavors.