Braised Pork Trotters in Soy Sauce

Name: Braised Pork Trotters in Soy Sauce
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Ingredients: 2 pieces (about 600g) Pork trotters; 4 tablespoons Light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce; 30g Rock sugar; 4 slices Ginger; 5, crushed Garlic cloves; 3 pieces Star anise; 2 Bay leaves; 3 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine; 1, sliced Green bell pepper; 1, sliced Red bell pepper; 3 stalks, cut into sections Green onions; 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil; to taste Salt

Tender, collagen-rich pork trotters slowly braised in a rich soy-based sauce until fall-off-the-bone tender. A classic comfort dish with deep savory flavors.

2h 20m

Medium

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This dish is all about patience—low and slow is the secret to achieving that silky, gelatinous texture that clings to every bite. The sauce develops complex caramelized notes from the sugar and soy, making it irresistible for dipping or drizzling over rice.

Ingredients

Pork trotters 2 pieces (about 600g)

Light soy sauce 4 tablespoons

Dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon

Rock sugar 30g

Ginger 4 slices

Garlic cloves 5, crushed

Star anise 3 pieces

Bay leaves 2

Chinese cooking wine 3 tablespoons

Green bell pepper 1, sliced

Red bell pepper 1, sliced

Green onions 3 stalks, cut into sections

Vegetable oil 2 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Instructions

Prepare the pork

Scrub the pork trotters thoroughly under running water. Use a sharp knife to scrape away any remaining hairs, or ask your butcher to clean them beforehand. Cut each trotter into 2-3 large chunks. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the chunks, and blanch for 5 minutes until foam rises. Drain and rinse under cold water, then pat completely dry.

Start the aromatics

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add rock sugar and stir continuously until it melts into a golden caramel—this takes about 3 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, star anise, and bay leaves, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant. The caramel should be deep amber, not burnt.

Braise the trotters

Add the pork chunks to the pot and stir to coat evenly in the caramel mixture. Pour in cooking light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and cooking wine. Stir everything together, then add enough hot water to nearly cover the pork (about 800ml). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. Flip the pieces halfway through.

Finish and serve

Once the pork is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened to a glossy coating, add the bell peppers and green onions. Cook for another 5 minutes until just softened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Serve hot, spooning extra sauce over the meat.