Mao-Style Braised Pork (毛氏红烧肉)

毛氏红烧肉

Mao-Style Braised Pork (毛氏红烧肉) — HunanHunan (湖南) home cooking.

Ingredients

• pork belly, cut into 3 cm cubes
• rock sugar
• ginger, sliced
• scallions, cut into 4 cm lengths
• star anise
• Shaoxing wine
• Chinese rice wine (huangjiu, optional)
• neutral oil

Instructions

1. Blanch pork cubes in boiling water for 3 minutes with 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Drain and rinse. (Gray scum on surface; water cloudy)
2. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add rock sugar and stir constantly until melted and turning deep amber (about 3 minutes). (Sugar melts, bubbles, transitions from pale to deep amber)
3. Immediately add drained pork. Toss vigorously to coat every piece in caramel. Add ginger, scallion, star anise. (Pork instantly takes on deep mahogany color)
4. Pour in remaining Shaoxing wine and huangjiu. Stir 30 seconds to deglaze. (Steam rises; caramel dissolves into a glossy glaze)
5. Add enough boiling water to just cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest possible simmer. Cover and cook 60 minutes. Uncover and simmer 15 minutes to reduce sauce to a thick glaze. (Gentle bubble breaks surface every 3-4 seconds; sauce thickens to lacquer gloss)