These bite-sized pork ribs are braised with a can of Pepsi or Coke and fish sauce until tender. It reduces to a sweet and umami-packed glaze that goes wonderfully with steamed white rice.
This dish has the familiar sweet and savory taste of traditional Vietnamese caramelized pork ribs (sườn ram mặn), just made much simpler and easier.
Instead of making the caramel (nước màu) by caramelizing sugar, which can be tricky for a beginner cook, a can of Pepsi (or Coke) does all the heavy lifting here.
It provides that dark color as it reduces, along with the sweetness for a wonderful sweet-and-savory balance with the fish sauce.
And unlike traditional recipes, there is no blanching or marinating required here.
Without blanching or preboiling the pork ribs, you might see tiny flecks of coagulated protein (often called “impurities”) in the sauce, but they are minimal and completely harmless. Plus, it eliminates the need to bring another pot to a boil.
No marinating is needed because the ribs braise as the sauce reduces, infusing them with flavor.
Serve these sticky ribs over a bowl of hot steamed jasmine rice with your favorite vegetable side dish and you’re golden!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pork ribs: Pork spareribs, cut into bite-sized individual riblets. I love that Costco carries pork spareribs already cut into strips now. Just take them home and slice between the bones to get riblets.
- Pepsi or Coke: Regular full-sugar soda is essential here so the sauce thickens and caramelizes properly; avoid diet or zero-sugar versions.
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce is life in Vietnamese and Southeast Asian cooking. It adds deep umami and savory saltiness to balance out the sweetness of the soda. There are many brands on the market, and some are milder than others. My go-to is the OG of fish sauce, Three Crabs brand from Viet Huong. It’s good, it’s inexpensive, and it’s been around for decades. If you use other brands, you may need to tweak the ratio of soda and fish sauce to get that perfect balance.
- Aromatics: Ground black pepper, green onions/scallion, garlic (fresh is best), and shallot.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the ribs and aromatics
Slice between the bones of the pork ribs to separate them into individual, bite-sized riblets. Rinse them well with cold water (you can give them a quick rub with a little salt before rinsing to remove any lingering pork odor) and drain thoroughly.
Thinly slice the green onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Peel and chop the garlic and shallot.
Step 2: Combine everything in the pot
Place the pork ribs into a medium pot. Add the white part of green onions, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, and ground black pepper.
Step 3: Simmer uncovered
Bring the liquid up to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Braise uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally so the ribs cook evenly.
At the 45-minute mark, pork ribs should be tender and the liquid should have mostly evaporated off, leaving a small liquid at the bottom. Turn off the heat.
Step 4: Garnish and serve
Garnish with the remaining green onion tops and an extra sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper for a finishing aroma. Serve with hot steamed rice and other vegetable side dishes for a complete meal.
Optional Pro Tips
- Build more depth: Instead of throwing everything straight into the pot, you can level it up by pan-frying the pork ribs first (pat dry with paper towels to ensure they are really dry) until they render out some natural pork lard or you can just use a bit of oil. Then pan fry the aromatics (the scallion whites, garlic, and shallots) in that rendered oil before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Add a spicy kick: If you like heat, toss in some pickled chilies. The acidity also helps balance out the richness of the pork.
- Great for meal prep: Braised dishes like this always taste even better the next day, so if you’re meal planning, make a large batch and save the leftovers for lunch. Just ladle the pork ribs and extra glaze over steamed rice and reheat for an easy and delicious meal next day.
Pepsi or Coke Braised Pork Ribs (Sườn Rim Mặn Nước Ngọt)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
Description
If you love my popular Sườn Ram Mặn recipe, you will love this easy one-pot shortcut. Skip making caramel sauce from scratch, just simmer pork ribs in a single can of Pepsi or Coke with fish sauce and aromatics until glossy and tender. Ready in under an hour with no blanching or marinating required.
Ingredients
- 2.5 to 3 lbs pork ribs
- 1 (12-oz) can regular Pepsi or Coke
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 green onions
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 medium shallot
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (plus extra for garnish)
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG and/or 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (optional for more flavor)
Instructions
- Prep ribs and aromatics: Slice between the bones of the pork ribs to separate them into individual, bite-sized riblets. Rinse them well with cold water (you can give them a quick rub with a little salt before rinsing to remove any lingering pork odor) and drain thoroughly. Thinly slice the green onions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Peel and chop the garlic and shallot. Set aside.
- Combine everything in the pot: Place the pork ribs into a medium pot. Add the white part of green onions, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, and ground black pepper.
- Simmer uncovered: Bring the liquid up to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Braise uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally so the ribs cook evenly. At the 45-minute mark, pork ribs should be tender and the liquid should have mostly evaporated off, leaving a small liquid at the bottom. Turn off the heat. Give a taste test and if it feel like it needs more flavor, add the MSG and/or chicken bouillon powder.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with the remaining green onion tops and an extra sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper for a finishing aroma. Serve with hot steamed rice and other vegetable side dishes for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese
