Double-cooked pork belly
Known as Huí-GuōPork or double-cooked pork belly, this dish has a long history that can be traced back to the Song dynasty (960–1279). Its predecessor, "Yo Bao pork," was recorded in the 《竹屿房杂部》, a book on longevity and lifestyle during the Ming dynasty, written by Song Xu.Double-cooked pork is inspired by Sichuan flavours and originally comes from the Sichuan region of China, which is why it's so spicy. The Sichuan region is known for being humid and lush, an environment that produces many hot peppers and chilis, including the tribute pepper, Sichuan pepper, and Erjingtiao chilli.I first ate this in London's Chinatown and had to find out how it was cooked. This recipe is the result of trying different ideas based on recipes on the web.
Equipment
- 1 Large saucepan
- Bowl
- Baking tray
- large flat plate
Ingredients
Stage 1 - boiling
- 1.5 kg pork belly
- 1 litre water (enough to cover the meat)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 6 cm piece ginger (peeled and minced)
- 4 whole star anise
- 2 red chilli (chopped0
- 2 tbsp Chinese Five Spice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp black pepper corns
- 3 spring onions (chopped)
- 4 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2-3 tbsp light soy sauce
Stage 2 - baking
- 1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice
- 2 tsp red chilli powder optional
- 2 cm fresh ginger (minced)
- 4 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Stage 3 - garnish
- 2 red chill (chopped)
- 2 spring onions (chopped)
Instructions
Stage 1 - boiling
- Place all the Stage 1 ingredients in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 2 hours
Stage 2 - baking
- Make a glaze by mixing the Stage 2 ingredients in a bowl.
- Deeply score the pork belly into 2cm cubes, leaving the cubes connected. Rub the glaze into the meat.
- Place the glazed meat on a layer of foil in a baking tray, place in an oven at 220°C and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the crackling has risen and looks crispy all over. Baste the meat with the glaze from time to time.
Stage 3 - garnish
- Place the glazed meat on a flat serving plate and garnish with the Stage 3 ingredients - chopped red chillis and spring onions
- Cut off squares of meat with garnish and serve