Rock Sugar Pork Hock
A classic Shandong (Lu) cuisine dish with a glossy red appearance, rich meat aroma, and tender, flaky texture. Made through multiple processes of roasting, boiling, frying, and steaming.
Ingredients
Pork hock (with skin and bone)
750 g
Soy sauce
16 g
Rock sugar
50 g
Shaoxing wine
20 g
Scallion segments and ginger slices
20 g
Sichuan peppercorn oil
15 g
Stock
to taste
Peanut oil
2500 g
Caramel coloring (for brushing on the skin)
not specified
Wet starch (for thickening)
not specified
Instructions
1
Preparing the hock
Char the skin of the pork hock directly over an open flame until the surface is scorched. Soak in warm water until softened, then scrape off the charred skin with a knife. Split the hock along the bone with a knife until the bone is exposed.
2
Boiling
Place in a stockpot and simmer until about 60% cooked, then remove.
3
Frying
While still hot, wipe the surface oil off the skin with a clean cloth. Brush with caramel coloring and let dry. Deep-fry in oil heated to about 80% hot (approximately 200°C) until slightly red and the skin wrinkles into small bubbles, then remove.
4
Cutting
Remove the bone with a knife. Cut walnut-shaped pieces into the inside of the meat (cutting to 2/3 of the meat's depth).
5
Steaming
Take a large bowl and place the hock skin-side down. Add the rock sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, stock, scallion segments, and ginger slices. Steam until tender and falling apart, then remove and invert onto a plate.
6
Thickening and saucing
Pour the juices into a wok, add stock, thicken with wet starch, add the Sichuan peppercorn oil, and pour over the hock. Serve immediately.
