Pic of Red pork

Red pork

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Meat mains

Red pork

Main Serves 6 3h 15 min
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

Prep time: 15 min
Cooking time: 3h

  • 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.

  • 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.