Firestone Cabernet Sauvignon with Braised Pork

Firestone Cabernet Sauvignon with Braised Bork

Firestone Cabernet Sauvignon dark cherry and plum notes pair well with this rich, braised pork accented with star anise. Lightly grilling the surface of the pork beforehand makes it more fragrant and juicy and removes excess fat. Boiling the pork in rice water gives it a soft and fluffy texture without the need for a pressure cooker. Often left to soak up the flavors overnight, this recipe is boiled down so that it is ready to eat right away. The addition of Shaoxing wine adds depth of flavor. The cook time is long, but it's mostly just simmering time. The actual prep time is short.

(Serves 2 / Cooking time: 120 minutes)

Ingredients

500g whole pork belly

1 bok choy

1 piece of ginger

Rice water to fill 1 pot

A 4 tbsp. of Shaoxing (Chinese cooking) wine

A 3 tablespoons of soy sauce

A 2 tablespoons mirin

A star anise 1pc

1 tablespoon salad oil

Instructions

Heat salad oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Put the pork belly in the pan and fry until lightly browned all over (be careful of oil splattering).

Slice the ginger in thin slices with skin on and add to the pan.

Put the pork, ginger along with the rice water into high-sided pot, cover, and heat over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and boil until a bamboo skewer runs through it, about one and a half hours. Take out the pork and rinse it with water and cut it into one inch cubes.

Clean the pot, add [A] and 300ml of water (not included), and heat over high heat. When it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes with a drop lid (see tips below) and a lid on the pot. Turn the pork over and cook for another 15 minutes. Open the lid, take out the pork and the star anise and reduce over high heat for 10 minutes. Put the pork back in and toss well.

Cut the Bok Choy into four or six pieces and boil with a little salad oil and salt (not included).

Tips

How to make a drop lid

https://delishkitchen.tv/recipes/215337876810892447

Select pork that has a good balance of lean and fatty meat.

Use the cloudiest water from the beginning of the rice-rinsing process. If you don't have rice water, you can also boil the pork with plenty of water, Japanese leeks (naganegi), and ginger for added aroma. The advantage of the rice water is that is will soften the pork more.

If you don't have Shaoxing wine, you can substitute another cooking wine.