Meat mains
Red pork
This slow-braised pork belly is one of the glories of China. It calls for little effort, and results in unctuous, ultra-soft meat in a rich, salty sweet sauce. Eat with streamed or boiled rice and braised seasonal greens. Leftovers, should there be any, keep very well for a few days in the fridge and make a wonderful topping for a bowl of noodles.
Ingredients
- 800g pork belly
- 2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 75ml soy sauce
- 45ml dry sherry
- 250ml white wine
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 star anise
- 500ml chicken or veg stock
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Place the pork, rind side up in a casserole dish, then chop, grind and mix the remaining ingredients and pour around the joint. The liquid should rise around to about ¾ of the way up the pork.
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Step 2
Put the lid on, bring to the simmer and transfer to the oven for 2-3 hours. Turn the pork over halfway through. A good test for whether it's cooked is if it is easily pierced with a chopstick. You won't get crackling, but the gelatin rind will dissolve into the sauce, giving it a delicious unctuous quality. Great with a pile of greens and some mash or rice.
