A Bite of Seafood and a Bite of Meat, Super Satisfying❗️ Braised Pork Belly with Abalone, A Luxurious Treat to Try
In autumn and winter, the weather is so cold. I believe many of you, like me, crave meat to keep warm, especially pork belly. So, over the weekend, I made a pot of braised pork belly at home to reward myself for the hard work during the weekdays. But this braised pork belly is not simple. It’s paired not only with quail eggs and broccoli but also with the luxurious abalone, which elevates both its presentation and taste! This time I found dealing with fresh abalone too troublesome, so I directly used a can of Meiweizhan canned abalone, containing four egg-sized abalones that are tender, delicious, and save a lot of work! Let’s check out the recipe for this tasty Braised Pork Belly with Abalone! Star anise: 4 pieces, nutmeg: 2 pieces, bay leaves: 3 leaves, cinnamon: 1 small piece, boiling water: an appropriate amount;
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare the necessary ingredients. Wash the pork thoroughly until no more blood seeps out, then drain it and cut it into finger-width pieces. Slice the ginger thinly, roughly chop the dried chili, and clean the quail eggs; if you bought raw ones, boil them for a few minutes and then peel the shells off.
Heat a pan to remove any water. Add the pork belly, spread it evenly to avoid overlapping. Do not stir immediately. Let it slowly render fat over low heat until the surface turns slightly golden. Avoid overcooking to prevent the meat from hardening.
Tilt the pan to gather the rendered fat, then add rock sugar and stir over low heat until melted. Mix with the meat until it becomes glossy and reddish — this is called caramelizing the meat. Note: Large pieces of rock sugar are challenging to melt, so it's better to crush them first. Alternatively, you can first remove the meat, caramelize the sugar, then mix them together. Avoid over-caramelizing; it will taste bitter.
Add yellow rice wine, followed by dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Stir until all the pork is evenly colored.
Add ginger slices, star anise, bay leaves, dried chili, and cinnamon. Stir slightly to combine. Note: Dried chili is optional, but I like to add some for flavor and to cut the grease.
Pour in boiling water to cover the ingredients and add the quail eggs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Note: Hot food in cold water shrinks rapidly, making the texture tough, so always use hot or boiling water.
Cover with a lid and simmer over medium-low heat for 40 minutes to an hour. Check the liquid level during cooking; if it reduces too much before the pork is tender, add more boiling water. It’s best to add sufficient water at once.
While the pork is cooking, break the broccoli into small florets and soak them in lightly salted water.
Once the sauce has significantly reduced and the cooking time is sufficient, taste the pork for texture and seasoning. When it’s tender enough, add the canned abalone, including its sauce. Adjust seasoning if it’s too mild. Cook uncovered over high heat, stirring to reduce the sauce until it thickens. Note: Don’t reduce the sauce completely to prevent drying out the pork.
Meanwhile, boil water in another pot, adding a pinch of salt and a few drops of cooking oil. Once boiling, blanch the broccoli until it changes color, then remove and cool it under cold water.
Arrange the broccoli in a circle on a plate, then place the braised pork in the center. Sprinkle some white sesame seeds as a garnish.
Looks stunning and super appetizing, doesn’t it?
Give it a try!