Shanghai Red Braised Pork

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs bone-in pork shoulder, skin-on
• ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons rock sugar
• 1 piece fresh ginger, 3-inch piece
• 6 cloves garlic cloves
• 4 stalks scallions
• 3 pods star anise
• 2 whole dried red chiles
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 1.5 cups chicken stock
• ¼ cup rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the pork shoulder into 4 to 5 large chunks (roughly 5-inch pieces), keeping the skin attached if possible. Leave the bones in — they flavor the braising liquid. Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels; this helps develop a golden crust and prevents the liquid from splattering.

2. 2

   Smash a 3-inch piece of unpeeled fresh ginger with the side of your knife blade to crack it open and expose the flesh. Peel and lightly crush 6 garlic cloves. Cut 4 scallions into 2-inch lengths, separating whites from greens — you'll use them at different times.

3. 3

   Gather your aromatics and spices: 3 star anise pods, 2 dried red chiles, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns, and 2 bay leaves. If your chiles are very dried out, snap them gently to release their fragrance.

4. 4

   Set a 6-quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering and just smoking at the edges (about 2 minutes), carefully add the pork pieces in a single layer — work in batches if needed. Let each piece sit undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until a deep golden-brown crust forms. Turn and sear the remaining sides until the entire surface is caramelized, another 6–8 minutes total. This browning develops rich, complex flavors in the braising liquid.

5. 5

   Once all pork is browned, pour in 0.25 cup of rice wine or dry sherry to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the caramelized bits (the fond) stuck to the pan — this is liquid gold for flavor. Scrape for about 1 minute until the bottom is clean and the liquid smells aromatic.

6. 6

   Add the smashed ginger, crushed garlic cloves, scallion whites, star anise, dried chiles, cinnamon stick, Sichuan peppercorns, and bay leaves. Stir everything around for 1 minute so the aromatics become fragrant and bloom in the hot oil.

7. 7

   Pour in 0.75 cup of low-sodium soy sauce, 0.25 cup of dark soy sauce, and 1.5 cups of chicken stock. Add 4 tablespoons of rock sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and distribute all the liquids evenly. The pork should be nearly submerged or at least three-quarters covered by the braising liquid.

8. 8

   Bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium-high heat — you'll see large, rolling bubbles breaking the surface. Reduce the heat to low, place the lid on the Dutch oven, and cook at a slow simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. The meat should be fork-tender and you should smell a deeply savory aroma — the pork should shred easily when poked with a fork, and the skin should be soft enough to cut with a spoon.

9. 9

   Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high. Discard the smashed ginger, garlic, scallion whites, and whole spices using a slotted spoon — the liquid will be silky and dark. Simmer, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces slightly and coats the back of a spoon. As you stir, the sauce will glaze the pork and become glossier.

10. 10

    Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. If it needs more depth, add a splash more soy sauce (start with 1 teaspoon). If it's too salty, add a pinch of sugar. The flavor should be rich, savory, and balanced — not one-dimensionally salty.

11. 11

    Transfer the braised pork to a warm serving bowl or platter, spooning the glossy sauce over the meat. Scatter the scallion greens (the reserved light green parts) over the top for a fresh pop of color and mild onion flavor.

12. 12

    Serve family-style in the center of the table with steamed rice on the side. The pork meat pulls apart easily, and diners can tear off pieces and nestle them into rice with spoonfuls of the rich, savory sauce. This is best eaten while still warm, though leftovers refrigerate beautifully for up to 4 days and taste even better the next day as flavors deepen.

Tools you’ll need

• 6-quart Dutch oven with lid
• wooden spoon
• slotted spoon
• fork
• knife
• cutting board
• paper towels
• measuring cups and spoons
• instant-read thermometer (optional, for checking pork doneness)

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