Grandma's Braised Pork
On New Year’s Eve, snow falls outside the window. The family gathers around the round table, and the rich, glossy aroma of the braised pork fills the air, making the children’s mouths oil-shiny as they eat. I can't help but smile, remembering my childhood when my favorite dish during the New Year was my mother's braised pork. In my memory, it was a flavor I could only enjoy once a year. Now, my child loves the braised pork I make just as much 😄 There are many ways to make braised pork, and every family has its unique style! I think that’s the taste of home~ A mother’s flavor!
Ingredients
Steps
Clean the pork belly, green onion, and ginger slices! Choose fresh pork belly with three layers.
Cut the pork belly in half from the middle, making it easier to cut into cubes.
Cut the meat into cubes! If you like larger pieces, cut them bigger! I prefer bigger cubes, about two centimeters square.
Pan-fry the pork belly until slightly golden and fat starts to render. Don’t forget to sear the skin side.
Remove the pork and leave a little oil in the pan. Add rock sugar and stir-fry over low heat until caramelized. Be careful not to overcook it, as it will taste bitter. It’s better to have a lighter color than to burn it.
After caramelizing the sugar, add the pork belly along with dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and cooking wine, and stir-fry to color the meat. Pour in hot water until it covers the meat by two centimeters, then add star anise, tied green onion, and ginger slices. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer. Stir occasionally. After 40 minutes, add a pinch of salt, stir evenly, and let it simmer for another 20 minutes.
Reduce the sauce according to your preferred level of tenderness! Mine reached this one-hour state—meltingly tender & sweet.
Celebrate the New Year with this irresistible braised pork dish! It’s simply mouthwatering to dig in! After eating two pieces of this braised pork, I wiped my oily mouth and vowed to start my diet tomorrow 😁!
Final dish.