Braised Pork Spare Ribs & Quail Eggs (Sườn Rim Trứng Cút)
Sườn Rim Trứng Cút, sometimes called Sườn Ram Mặn Trứng Cút or Sườn Kho Trứng Cút is Vietnamese comfort food at its best.
- 2 lbs pork spare ribs
- 20 fresh quail eggs
- 1 small shallot (finely diced)
- 3 large cloves (finely diced)
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon caramel cooking syrup (see notes below)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 green onion (thinly sliced, whites and greens separated)
- Red chilies (optional)
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Boil quail eggs for 5 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to cool. Peel and set aside. Cut pork spare ribs into bite-sized pieces. Blanch in the boiling water for 3 minutes, or until scum rises. Drain and rinse under cold running water until clean.
- Clean the pot if reusing. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and the whites of green onions. Sauté for about 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Add blanched pork ribs and toss to coat with aromatics. Stir in chicken bouillon, fish sauce, oyster sauce, ground black pepper, caramel cooking syrup, and sugar. Add water, cover, and braise over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add hard-boiled quail eggs, tossing gently to coat. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce reduces by half. Turn occasionally for even color. Taste test and add more fish sauce if needed.
- Garnish with the remaining green onions, extra ground black pepper, and optional chili peppers. Serve hot with steamed rice and a vegetable side dish for a complete meal.
This Vietnamese dish consists of tender bite-sized pieces of pork spare ribs and hard boiled quail eggs, slowly braised in a savory-sweet sauce.
It’s similar to Thịt Kho Tàu. Instead of pork belly we have pork spare ribs. Instead of chicken eggs, we have smaller quail eggs. And instead of a lot of sauce, we don’t have much here, just a bit for a nice drizzle or glaze.
This is a traditional Vietnamese home-cooked dish, one you rarely find in Vietnamese restaurants in the U.S. It is served family-style alongside other dishes and always paired with plenty of steamed white rice. The dish is rich and flavorful, perfectly balancing sweet and savory.
I didn’t have this dish very often growing up because pork spare ribs were considered an expensive cut, and who has the time to peel fresh quail eggs when your parents are always working and tired?
But when we do have it, this is the kind of dish that makes you eat with your hands just to get the last bit of meat off the bone. It is literally finger-licking good. And here’s how to make it at home.
What You Will Need
To make Suon Rim Trung Cut, gather the following ingredients:
- Pork spare ribs: Pick these up at your Asian grocery stores and most likely they already come in a string of riblets. Bring them home and cut in-between the bones to get bite-sized pork ribs.
- Quail eggs: They quickly absorb the sauce beautifully. You can usually find fresh quail eggs in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores. If quail eggs aren’t available, substitute with canned quail eggs or fresh chicken eggs.
- Aromatics: Shallot and garlic are the go-to aromatics in Vietnamese cuisine. Peel and finely chop them, then set aside. I’m also using green onion (also called scallion). Thinly slice it, keeping the whites and greens separate. The white parts will be used as aromatics, while the green parts are reserved for garnish.
- Neutral oil: A small amount, just enough for sautéing the aromatics to bring out their aroma before braising.
- Seasonings and garnishes: There are many ways to season Vietnamese braised dishes. You can keep it simple with fish sauce, sugar, and ground black pepper. For this recipe, I’m also adding chicken bouillon powder (hạt nêm/bột nêm), which has a bit of MSG for extra flavor, and oyster sauce (dầu hảo) for another layer of umami.
- Garnishes: a sprinkle black pepper and a bit more for garnish at the end, the green part of the green onion, and if you like it spicy, also use red bird eyes chilies. Keep it whole or thinly sliced, your choice.
- Store-bought convenient caramel sauce (nuoc mau): Used in many Vietnamese dishes to add a deep color. You can buy it ready-made or substitute with dark soy sauce, thick soy sauce, or make your own.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps build the glossy glaze during the braising process.
- Water: Traditionally made with fresh coconut juice in Vietnam, or coconut soda (like Coco Rico) in the U.S. as a quick substitute. For this recipe, I’m keeping it simple with plain water.
