Finished dish photo of Grandma's Braised Pork - Home Flavor Quick and Simple Version

Grandma's Braised Pork - Home Flavor Quick and Simple Version

Braised pork is truly a household dish that every family can make. It’s delicious, simple, and suitable for all ages. However, you’ll notice that even with similar ingredients, different families can produce different flavors. Shanghai’s braised pork is rich, savory, and sweet. Hunan’s braised pork is boldly spicy and flavorful. Northern braised pork has a unique taste resembling fermented bean curd. This recipe for braised pork should taste like home.

Ingredients

Pork belly800g
Cooking wine1 tablespoon
Soy sauce2 tablespoons
Dark soy sauce1 tablespoon
Salt5g
Star anise2 pieces
Dark soy sauce1 tablespoon
Sugar10g
Bay leaf2 pieces
Cinnamon1 piece

Steps

1

After cleaning the pork belly, cut it into pieces and blanch it in boiling water.

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2

Drain the water completely, place the pork into a pan with oil, stir-fry until it releases oil, then remove it from the pan. If the pork isn't completely dry, make sure to wipe it dry with kitchen paper to prevent oil splattering.

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3

Caramelize sugar: Add sugar to the pan and cook on low heat. Be patient; caramelizing sugar is very easy to burn.

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4

When bubbles and color change appear, turn off the heat.

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5

Add the previously cooked pork pieces and seasonings into the pan. Once it boils, simmer for 1.5 hours, and finish by reducing the sauce over high heat. Tips: You can adjust the cooking time based on personal preference. In my home, we usually transfer it to a pressure cooker for another half hour before eating.

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6

The melt-in-your-mouth Grandma’s Braised Pork is ready. The oil from the fatty meat has been fully rendered, so it doesn’t feel greasy at all.

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Cooking Tips

- For the best flavor, choose pork belly with a balanced ratio of fat and lean meat. Too lean is not tasty, too fatty is unhealthy. If you're as meticulous about this as you are with steak, then it's all about the pig's cut. - Save the excess oil from the braised pork, let it cool and solidify, then scrape it off for future use, like cooking noodles! - Leftover braised pork and its rich broth can be stored and used to stew potatoes for the next meal. - If you enjoy spicy food, adding some dried chili will yield an amazing result.