527 Wife Appreciation Day - Braised Pork Belly
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Ingredients
Steps
These are all the ingredients and seasonings. Simple, right? There are very few required seasonings, but as the saying goes, the simpler the dish, the harder it is to perfect. But don't worry, with this recipe, you’ll make outstanding braised pork belly. Check out the pork belly! It's important to use pork belly with skin, marbled with fat and lean meat. If you're worried about it being too fatty, follow me to the next step where I'll show you how to make it tender but not greasy.
Place the cleaned and cut pork belly with skin in a pan over medium-low heat. Note that the pan is oil-free. Dry pan-fry the meat to render out its fat. This step is crucial. Some people prefer blanching, but dry pan-frying is better for removing fat. Plus, if the meat is fresh enough, the fishy odor will be minimal. High heat during frying also helps eliminate odor.
Fry until a generous amount of pork fat is released, and both sides of the meat are golden. Be careful not to let it burn.
Here's how the fried pork belly should look. Pour out the excess pork fat. After this step, the meat won’t be overly greasy.
No need to wash the pan. Heat it again, and then add ginger slices to stir-fry briefly to release their aroma.
Add the fried pork belly back to the pan and stir-fry a few times.
Add “John Original Fresh” Cooking Wine to remove any remaining odor. Stir-fry briefly after adding the wine.
Now add “John Original Fresh” soy sauces. Start with the Premium Braising Soy Sauce, which gives the dish a beautiful color.
Then, add the First-Pressed Premium Soy Sauce to enhance the umami flavor. Even without MSG, this sauce makes the dish flavorful.
Mix well to evenly coat the meat in both “John Original Fresh” soy sauces.
Add rock sugar. I used yellow rock sugar, but regular rock sugar works fine too. If you don’t have rock sugar, granulated sugar will do, though rock sugar provides better results. (If you prefer a less sweet taste, reduce the sugar accordingly.)
Add boiling water until the meat is just submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover the pan and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Note: Always use boiling water, not cold water.
After 30 minutes, remove the lid and add the tofu skin knots and boiled egg. If added too early, the tofu skin may become overly soft. Cover the pan again and simmer on low for another 30 minutes (total cooking time is about 60 minutes). If you prefer a firmer texture for the tofu skin, add it during the last 10 minutes.
After 60 minutes, increase the heat to reduce the sauce. Stir gently to avoid breaking the tofu skin knots.
Serve the dish to enjoy tender, flavorful, and non-greasy braised pork belly.
Brightly colored and savory, let this braised pork belly delight your taste buds.