Wuxi Soy-Braised Pork Ribs

Wuxi soy-braised ribs are pork spare ribs or backbone simmered at length with soy sauce, rock sugar and spices. The finished dish is deep reddish-brown, meltingly tender and sweetly savory, one of the city's three great local specialties.

It is said to have begun at a late-Qing eatery near Wuxi's South Gate, where leftover backbone and rib bones were braised to tenderness. Meat shops such as Sanfengqiao and Lugaojian later elevated it into the city's signature dish.

Usually served as a main to eat with rice, enjoyed hot or at room temperature; diners gnaw the meat from the bone and spoon the rich sauce over rice. It is also a popular gift to carry home.

Its hallmark is the upfront sweetness of the sauce and the deep aroma of a master gravy passed from pot to pot; ribs that are tender without drying out mark the genuine article.