Crystal Pork (Shui Jing Yao Rou)
A traditional specialty of Zhenjiang, made from pork knuckle that is saltpeter-cured, then boiled, pressed, and chilled until set.
Ingredients
Pork knuckle (deboned)
to taste
Saltpeter solution (sprinkled evenly on lean meat)
to taste
Salt
to taste
Star anise
to taste
Cinnamon bark
to taste
Sichuan peppercorns
to taste
Scallion and ginger
to taste
Shaoxing wine
to taste
Instructions
1
Marinating
Scrub the deboned pork knuckle clean, poke several holes through the lean meat using bamboo picks, then sprinkle the saltpeter solution evenly over it. Rub with salt, star anise, cinnamon bark, and Sichuan peppercorns, wrap the lean meat with the skin, and marinate for three days.
2
Boiling
Bring water to a boil in a pot, lay in a bamboo rack, and place the spice-treated pork knuckle on top. Once it returns to a rolling boil, skim off the scum, add the scallion, ginger, and Shaoxing wine, cover the pot, and reduce to low heat. Simmer for two hours, flip the knuckle over, then continue to simmer for about two more hours until the knuckle is roughly nine-tenths tender. Remove from the pot.
3
Pressing and Chilling
Place the pork knuckle skin-side down in a flat container, press it flat, and ladle in some of the original broth used to cook the knuckle. After about one day (refrigerate in hot weather), the aspic will have formed. Take it out and slice to serve.
