Pot-Roasted Pork Hock
A classic of traditional Shandong cuisine, this dish features pork hock deep-fried until puffed, then steamed until tender. The finished pork hock has a glossy red appearance, a savory and mellow aroma, and a soft, well-seasoned texture.
Ingredients
Pork hock (scrubbed clean, bone removed)
1 (about 1000 g)
Salt
to taste
Soy sauce
to taste
Sugar
to taste
Star anise
to taste
Cassia bark
to taste
Starch (for cornstarch slurry)
to taste
Broth (for steaming the hock)
to taste
Oil (for frying the hock)
to taste
Instructions
1
Boil the hock
Scrub the pork hock clean, remove the bone, place it in a pot and simmer until about 60% cooked, then remove and drain off the water. Pat the surface thoroughly dry with a clean cloth.
2
Fry the hock
Brush a layer of soy sauce over the hock skin. Heat oil in a wok over high heat, place the hock in skin-side down, and fry until the skin puffs up into bubbles, then remove and drain off the oil.
3
Steam and serve
Place the fried hock in a bowl, add salt, soy sauce, sugar, star anise, cassia bark, and an appropriate amount of broth, then steam over a pot until tender and falling apart. Remove and arrange on a plate with the skin facing up. Pour the steaming juices into a wok, bring to a boil, thicken with cornstarch slurry, and pour the sauce over the hock. Serve.
