Shanghai Red Braised Pork Trotters
Fall-apart tender pork trotters braised in a glossy soy-and-spice sauce until the collagen-rich skin and meat become melting and rich. A showstopping Chinese comfort dish that tastes far more labor-intensive than it actually is.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 48g
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs pork trotters (front or hind), cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rock sugar (or 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar)
- 2 oz ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch coins (thumb-sized piece)
- 3 whole star anise
- ¼ cup chinese cooking wine (shaoxing) or dry sherry
- 2 cups chicken or pork stock
- 3 whole scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces, white and green separated
Instructions
- 1
Blanch pork trotters in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities.
- 2
Drain and rinse trotters under cold water until clean. Pat dry with paper towels.
- 3
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering.
- 4
Working in batches, sear trotters 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Do not crowd the pot.
- 5
Return all trotters to pot. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, ginger, star anise, cooking wine, and stock.
- 6
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 7
Uncover and increase heat to medium. Add scallion whites and cook 5 minutes until sauce thickens.
- 8
Taste and adjust with salt if needed. Scatter scallion greens on top.
- 9
Serve hot in a shallow bowl with plenty of braising liquid and spoon sauce over trotters.
Tools you’ll need
- large heavy pot or Dutch oven (5–6 quart)
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- skimmer or slotted spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
- wooden spoon
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