Taiwanese Sweet and Sour Garlic Short Ribs are hands down one of my favorite recipes from my mom.
Super tender short ribs coated with a sticky glaze, this Taiwanese Sweet and Sour Garlic Short Ribs is a must-try recipe!
Easy-to-find ingredients, this recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner!
Warning, get your rice ready because this glaze will make you eat bowls and bowls of rice.
The SOY SAUCE is the most crucial ingredient for my mom’s Taiwanese Sweet and Sour Garlic Short Ribs.
As you know, I always rave about how important it is to use HIGH-QUALITY Soy Sauce as it makes a world of difference.
Today we will be using my go-to and favorite condiments from Lee Kum Kee. My go-to brand to get all my Oyster Sauce, Soy Sauce, and also Dark Soy Sauce.
Lee Kum Kee’s Premium line carries high-quality products that are affordable AND accessible.
An essential step for making Taiwanese Sweet and Sour Garlic Short Ribs is to blanch the ribs ahead of time.
I always boil the pork for 3-4 minutes before draining and rinsing it with cold water.
Scrub the pork to get out all the blood and dirt before adding it to the pan to cook.
This simple step will allow the sauce it is pure and pork to be more flavourful.
I recommend pairing Taiwanese Sweet and Sour Garlic Short Ribs with a large bowl of rice.
The sticky glaze is super addicting and flavorful, so it pairs perfectly with a large bowl of rice.
PRO TIP: You can also use the leftover oil and glaze to saute vegetables such as bok choy and broccoli for the perfect one-pan dinner.

Do you want more EASY Taiwanese Recipes? Here are some of the go-to recipes that I LOVE!
- Popcorn Chicken (EXTRA CRISPY & JUCIY!)
- Chow Mein (Authentic Traditional Recipe!)
- Chicken and Rice (MUST TRY!)
- Sticky Rice (Authentic Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 lb of Pork Side Ribs
- 8 cloves of minced Garlic
- 3 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp of Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp of Rice Vinegar
- 3 tbsp of Sugar
- 2 tbsp of Ketchup
- 2 tbsp of Chinese Cooking Wine (optional)
- 2 cups of Water
- Cut the pork side ribs into cubes by following the bones. Cook the pork in boiling water for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
- Mix dark soy sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and drizzle oil into a pan. Once the oil is hot, add in pork and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in garlic and saute together for another 1-2 minutes.
- Drizzle in the sauce and mix for 1-2 minutes until pork is covered in sauce and pour in 2 cups of water. Bring it to a simmer and turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the heat up to high and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes.
Sweet and Sour Garlic Short Ribs
Materials
- 2 lb of Pork Side Ribs
- 8 cloves of minced Garlic
- 3 tbsp of Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp of Dark Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp of Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbsp of Ketchup
- 3 tbsp of Sugar
- 2 tbsp of Chinese Cooking Wine optional
- 2 cups of Water
Instructions
- Cut the pork side ribs into cubes by following the bones. Cook the pork in boiling water for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
- Mix dark soy sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and drizzle oil into a pan. Once the oil is hot, add in pork and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in garlic and saute together for another 1-2 minutes.
- Drizzle in the sauce and mix for 1-2 minutes until pork is covered in sauce and pour in 2 cups of water. Bring it to a simmer and turn the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the heat up to high and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes.
This recipe was so good! I followed it word for word because the recipe actually used ingredients I keep on hand. Lots of yummy sauce for rice. I wonder how it would taste with balsamic instead of rice wine vinegar. Loved it, thank you!
Love your recipes! Super easy to follow and even if I don’t have the exact ingredients, always turns out tasting so delicious 🤤
Thanks for sharing your love of cooking with the world 🥰
So excited to try this Recipe tonight!!