Baby Bok Choy Pork Bone Soup
A comforting Chinese bone broth made with tender pork bones, fresh baby bok choy, and fragrant shiitake mushrooms. This nourishing soup simmers slowly to extract deep, rich flavors from the bones, resulting in a silky broth that's perfect for cold days.
Story
This classic Chinese comfort soup showcases the art of building flavor through slow-simmered bone broth. The pork bones release gelatin and marrow into the liquid, creating a naturally creamy texture that pairs beautifully with the crisp-tender baby bok choy.
Ingredients
pork leg bones
2 pounds
baby bok choy
4 cups, halved lengthwise
dried shiitake mushrooms
4 pieces, soaked and sliced
fresh ginger
3 slices
green onions
2 stalks, tied into a knot
cooking wine
2 tablespoons
salt
to taste
water
8 cups
Instructions
1
Blanch the bones
Rinse pork bones under cold water, then place in a large pot with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes. Youll see grayish foam rise to the surface—this is impurities being drawn out. Drain and rinse the bones clean.
2
Start the broth
Transfer the cleaned bones to a pressure cooker or large stockpot. Add fresh cold water, the ginger slices, and green onion knot. Pour in the cooking wine. If using a pressure cooker, lock the lid and bring to high pressure.
3
Simmer until rich
Cook under pressure for 45 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally. If using a regular pot, simmer gently for 2 hours until the broth takes on a milky, opulent character. Add the soaked mushroom slices during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
4
Finish and serve
Add the baby bok choy pieces to the hot broth and cook for 3-5 minutes until they're tender but still bright green. Season with salt to taste. Remove the ginger and green onions, then ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately while piping hot.
