Fantasy Pork
Submitted by ranbo
Chinese-style braised pork (fantasy pork) slow-cooked in dark soy sauce, rice wine, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns until fall-apart tender. A rich, aromatic showpiece.
A whole fresh ham braised for hours in a fragrant Chinese master sauce until the meat practically falls apart at the touch of a fork. Dark soy sauce, rice wine, star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, cinnamon, and five-spice powder build a braising liquid so aromatic your neighbors will come knocking.
This is a patience recipe. The ham gets browned first with ginger, garlic, and scallions to build a savory base, then everything simmers covered for about 4 ½ hours. The low, slow braise breaks down the collagen in the pork until it’s impossibly tender, while the dark soy sauce and rock sugar create that deep, lacquered mahogany color and sweet-savory glaze.
The braising liquid gets strained and reduced into a thick, glossy sauce to pour over the finished pork. All that concentrated flavor in one spoonful.
Chef Tips
- Dry the ham thoroughly with paper towels before browning. Surface moisture prevents browning and causes splattering in hot oil.
- Turn the ham occasionally during braising so all sides absorb the flavors and color evenly.
- If you can find rock sugar, use it. It dissolves slower than granulated and gives the sauce a cleaner, more refined sweetness.
- Serve over steamed rice to catch every drop of that reduced sauce.
Variations
- Use pork belly instead of fresh ham for an even richer, more unctuous result.
- Add dried shiitake mushrooms to the braising liquid for extra umami depth.
- Toss in hard-boiled eggs during the last hour of cooking. They absorb the sauce and make a classic Chinese braised egg side.
Ingredients
Directions
DRY THE HAM THOROUGHLY with paper towels.
Cut the scallions into 3-inch segments.
Choose a heavy casserole or pot, large enough to hold the ham comfortably.
Heat the pot and then add the oil, ginger, garlic and scallions, and stir-fry in the pot for 2 minutes.
Push the aromatics to the side and brown the ham on each side until it has some color, 10 to 15 minutes.
Pour off the oil. Add all the braising liquid ingredients to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover tightly and cook for about 4½ hours, turning the ham from time to time.
When the ham is tender, remove it gently with a large spatula.
The meat should be literally falling apart.
Place it on a serving platter.
Strain the sauce, skim off any surface fat, and reduce the liquid until it is slightly thick.
Pour this over the ham and serve.
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