Braised Pork with Shaoxing Wine

Braised Pork with Shaoxing Wine

　　600g pork belly, 2 star anise, 1 sprig of cilantro

　　 Garnish:

　　 1 bottle of Shaoxing wine, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rock sugar

　　 Instructions:

　　 1. Cut the pork belly into square chunks, first blanch them, then coat with soy sauce, and deep-fry in hot oil until browned. Remove and immediately rinse with cold water.

　　 2. Arrange the pork pieces in a pot, add the star anise and all the seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the meat is tender and cooked through, about 1 hour.

　　 3. When the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, then turn off the heat and serve.

　　 Tips:

　　 This is the method for making Dongpo Pork. When Su Dongpo was serving as an official in Hangzhou, the locals, in gratitude for his efforts in controlling the flooding of the two lakes, sent him large quantities of meat and wine. He instructed his family to cook the two together before sharing them with the community, which led to this dish being passed down through the ages. Therefore, “Braised Pork with Shaoxing Wine” is essentially “Dongpo Pork.”

　　 Cooking pork with wine instead of water not only removes the gaminess but also makes the meat tender and succulent. The process of frying before braising helps eliminate excess grease.

　　 Pork belly should be lean yet not tough, and fatty yet not greasy. Choose cuts where the layers of fat and lean meat do not separate easily.