Shangdang Braised Pork Elbow

Shangdang Braised Pork Elbow

　　(1) Disassemble the pork elbow (either the front or rear section), and cut along the leg bone until the meat is nearly separated from the bone, forming one large round piece.

　　 (2) Soak the pork elbow in cold water until the skin becomes very soft. Skewer it with a meat fork and place it over a smokeless, high flame to char the skin repeatedly until it turns black and scorched. Then soak it in warm water until the skin softens again. Scrub and brush off the blackened parts, leaving the skin yellowish-red with a leathery appearance—delightfully charming.

　　 (3) Thoroughly wash off any black residue on the meat with clean water, then place it in a pot.

　　 (4) Fill the pot with enough water to submerge the pork elbow. Bring it to a boil over high heat, skim off the impurities, then add scallion segments and ginger slices. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 60–70 minutes until the meat easily separates from the bone. Remove from heat while still hot, and take out the bones.

　　 (5) Place the pork elbow skin-side down on a cutting board. First, even out any thicker layers of meat, then use a sharp knife to cut the meat into diamond-shaped pieces—cut only until you reach the skin without slicing through it. Make your cuts halfway through the thickness of the skin so that the skin remains connected as one piece. Shape the whole piece into a neat round form, skin-side down, and place it in a 30–33 cm soup bowl. Arrange the sliced lean meat in any thinner sections, then top with scallion segments, ginger slices, garlic slices, and a whole star anise. Pour in some of the original cooking broth mixed with a bit of soy sauce and salt. Steam in a steamer basket over medium heat for 30 minutes before removing.

　　 (6) Place a large round plate over the bowl, invert it, and transfer the pork elbow onto the plate. Strain the cooking broth back into the pot, thicken it to a flowing consistency (liuqian), and pour it over the pork elbow. Note: There are two key points to master when making braised pork elbow. First, the skin must be soaked until soft before charring; skipping the soaking will result in poorly charred skin and affect the appearance. Second, control the steaming heat carefully—steaming too vigorously will turn the lean meat purple, while too gentle a heat won’t achieve the desired tenderness and juiciness. Only medium heat, combining steaming and simmering, will yield the perfect pork elbow.

　　 Characteristics: The pork elbow has a bright reddish-yellow sheen, with clear diamond cuts visible on the skin that separate easily with chopsticks. The white fat is rich, tender, and melts in the mouth, while the lean meat is soft, flaky, and aromatic without being dry. The flavor is rich and savory, rivaling bear’s paw.