Red Cooked Pork Belly Food

RED COOKED PORK

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and gently boil for about 10 minutes, skimming off any scum as it forms on top of the water. Drain the pork and rinse to remove any remaining scum.
• In a large wok or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons water and stir until it dissolves. Tilt the wok or skillet to swirl the mixture, without stirring, just until it bubbles and begins to turn slightly darker in certain spots, 4 to 5 minutes. Be sure to watch it carefully so that the sugar doesn't burn as the sugar can turn from brown to black in seconds.
• Add the pork and cook it with the caramelized sugar, stirring frequently, until the pork is browned and smells fragrant, about 4 minutes.
• Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, and star anise and toss for 1 to 2 minutes to give the aromatics a quick cook. Add the rice wine, both soy sauces, and enough water to cover the pork, about 2 to 3 cups. Stir to combine and then cover and ever-so-gently simmer the pork over low heat until tender, at least 1 hour and, for maximal sublime tenderness, for up to 2 hours.
• Once the pork is tender, take a look at the cooking liquid. If you prefer a thicker sauce, transfer the pork to a plate, return the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce reduces to the desired consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to reduce the sauce too far as you're going to want generous servings of the sauce to go over the pork and rice. Taste the sauce and, if desired, adjust with more soy sauce or sugar. Spoon the pork and sauce over rice. (You can refrigerate or freeze leftovers and gently rewarm it.)

CHAIRMAN MAO'S RED BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• The first step is to blanch the pork belly, which removes any blood or impurities from the meat. To do this, add the pork belly and 3 slices of ginger to a pot with enough cold water to submerge the pork belly. With the lid on, bring it to a boil. Once the pot boils, turn down the heat and simmer for one more minute. Drain, rinse the pork belly clean, and set aside.
• With the wok set over low heat, add the oil and rock sugar (or 3 tablespoons regular sugar). Slowly melt the sugar, taking care to not let it burn. Then add in the pork belly, 3 slices ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Turn up the heat to medium. Stir and coat the pork belly with the melted sugar.
• Now, add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, dried chili peppers, and water. Stir and make sure everything is submerged. There will be some caramelized sugar on your spatula, dissolve it in the water before covering the wok. Bring the mixture up to a simmer over medium low heat for 1 hour. Check the pork periodically to make sure the sauce doesn't dry up.
• Once the pork is to your liking in terms of tenderness, turn up the heat to cook off any excess sauce, stirring constantly. The sauce will reduce to a glistening coating on the pork belly. Last, add in the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar and the green parts of the scallions. Stir quickly and serve!

RED COOKED PORK (HONG SHAO ROU): GRANDMA'S VERSION

Steps:

• Start by cutting up your pork belly.
• Then fill a pot with cold water and submerge your eggs. Put the pot on the stove and gently bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling, boil the eggs for 5 minutes. Take them out and put them into a bowl of ice water to cool for 5 minutes before peeling.
• After that's done, boil some more water in a large pot. Add the pork to the boiling water and blanch for about 3 minutes to get rid of excess fat and other impurities. Drain and rinse the meat.
• Make sure your wok is clean and dry. Over medium low heat, add about 3 tablespoons of sugar to the dry wok (no oil) and toss the sugar around. You'll see it start to turn an amber color. Let it melt until it becomes almost a syrup.
• Add the meat to the pan in 1 layer (still no oil necessary). Let the meat brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Then add ½ cup shaoxing wine, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce and a cup of water. Stir.
• Cover the wok and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour. Check it periodically to make sure that it's not too dry, adding a little water when necessary.
• By then, your eggs should be cooled off. Peel them and score them lengthwise to let the sauce into the crevices of each hard-boiled egg. Add them to the pan and gently coat them in the sauce, being careful not to break them up. Simmer for another 15 minutes (add water if needed) and then take the eggs out of the pan. Taste the sauce at this point for salt. If it needs a little more, add a dash of soy sauce 1 teaspoon at a time, until it's right. We found that you didn't need much more beyond the initial 2 tablespoons, but use your own judgment.
• Then add your tofu and stir in gently. Simmer for another 20 minutes.
• Give everything another stir and add your eggs back in.

SLOW-COOKED RED BRAISED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add pork belly; cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Heat vegetable oil and brown sugar in a wok or large skillet over medium heat until sugar is melted. Add pork; cook until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Add dark soy sauce; cook and stir until flavors combine, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer pork mixture to a slow cooker. Add rice wine, light soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and star anise. Pour in enough water to just cover the pork.
• Cook on Low until pork is tender, about 6 hours. Add diced chicken substitute, hard-boiled eggs, and more water to cover.
• Cook on Low until eggs absorb cooking liquid, rotating halfway through, about 1 hour more.

BRAISED PORK BELLY (红烧肉/HONG SHAO ROU/RED COOKED PORK)

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the ginger, scallion, and blanch the pork belly pieces over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• After five minutes, clean the pork under running water and keep them dry with cloth or kitchen towel. Reserve some blanching water and pass it through a wire mesh strainer.
• Heat the sugar and oil in a nonstick pan. When the sugar turns to amber color, add the dried pork pieces into it.
• Pan-fry the pork for two minutes until all the sides are sear and colored.
• Add the pork, soy sauce, ginger, scallion, wine, star anise, and blanching liquid enough to submerge all the pork pieces to a pot.
• Braise the pork over low heat with the lid on for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is soft and tender. Turn the heat to medium and boil it uncovered until the braising liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.
• Dish out and garnish with thinly sliced scallion. Serve.

RED-COOKED PORK BELLY

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot. Add pork belly and return water to a boil. Skim foam, then add wine. Reduce heat to moderate and briskly simmer, partially covered, skimming occasionally, 20 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except bok choy, reduce heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, turning pork occasionally, until skin and meat are very tender, about 3 hours.
• Transfer pork with tongs and a spatula to a platter and keep warm, covered with foil. Pour cooking liquid into a 12-inch heavy skillet (do not skim off fat) and boil until reduced to a syrup (about 1 cup), about 25 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.
• Cook bok choy in a large pot of boiling water until bright green and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange bok choy around pork and pour sauce over meat, drizzling a little over vegetables.