Dongpo Pork, also known as Gunrou or Hongshao Rou, is a famous traditional dish of the Han people in the Jiangnan region. It is mainly made with pork. The dish features thin skin, tender meat, a crispy, sweet, and soft texture that melts in the mouth, a bright red color, a mellow and rich flavor with a thick sauce, is tender and falls apart easily while maintaining its shape, and is fragrant and glutinous without being greasy.
Dongpo Pork, perfect in color, aroma, and taste, is deeply loved by people. The secret to making this dish is to use a low flame, little water, and plenty of wine. This delicious Dongpo Pork can actually be made at home! Today, I'm sharing the cooking secret with all the moms. Hurry and make a bowl of authentic, delicious Dongpo Pork for your little meat-loving foodie~
★The Story of Dongpo Pork★
Legend has it that it was created by the Northern Song poet Su Dongpo (from Meishan, Sichuan). The earliest origin of Dongpo Pork is Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. In 1080, Su Dongpo was demoted and lived in Huangzhou. Because pork was abundant and cheap there, he came up with this way of cooking meat.
According to historical research, Dongpo Pork was made to commemorate Su Dongpo, but it was not actually created by him personally.
The original form of Dongpo Pork is the "Xuzhou Hui Zou Rou" (Return Gift Pork of Xuzhou), which is one of the "Four Treasures of Dongpo" in Xuzhou.
★Nutritional Value of Dongpo Pork★
Pork Belly (Five-Spice Pork Belly): Pork is rich in high-quality protein and essential fatty acids, and can help improve iron-deficiency anemia; it has the effects of nourishing the kidneys and blood, and moistening yin and relieving dryness.
The calorie content of Dongpo Pork (based on 100 grams of edible portion) is 534 kcal (2234 kJ), which is relatively high per unit. Every 100 grams of Dongpo pork accounts for about 23% of the total daily calories recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society for an average adult to maintain health. The cholesterol content in pork is relatively high, so people who are overweight or have high blood lipids should not eat too much of it.
★Detailed Steps★
Ingredients: 1500g of pork belly, 100g of scallions, 100g of sugar, 250g of Shaoxing wine, 50g of ginger (lightly smashed), 150g of soy sauce.
Cooking Process
1. Scrape and clean the pork belly, cut it into 10 square pieces (about 75g each), and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and rinse clean.
2. Take a large clay pot, line the bottom with a bamboo mat, first lay a bed of scallions, add the ginger, then arrange the pork pieces neatly with the skin side down. Add sugar, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Finally, add a knot of scallions, cover the pot, seal the edges of the clay pot with peach blossom paper, place it over high heat, bring to a boil, then cover and seal. Simmer over low heat until the meat is tender. Then, move the pot away from the heat, skim off the excess oil. Turn the pork pieces over so the skin side is up, transfer them into a small special ceramic pot, cover, and place in a steamer. Steam over high heat for 30 minutes until the meat is tender and cooked through.
Editor's Notes: Important Points for Making Dongpo Pork
▍The main ingredient must be pork belly, and it's best to use it with the skin on.
▍Use wine instead of water (you can add a little water), and all the seasonings must be added at once to highlight the rich local flavor.
▍Pay attention to the ratio of dark and light soy sauce. During the cooking process in the clay pot, I open the lid to check after about an hour. On one hand, to check the liquid level, and on the other, to taste the saltiness and sweetness. If it's not quite right at this point, you can still add a little more seasoning.
▍Master the heat by combining stewing and steaming: bring to a boil with high heat, simmer until tender over low heat, then steam until thoroughly tender over high heat. This is the only way to achieve the requirements of the meat being tender and falling apart while keeping its shape, being rich and oily but not greasy, and fragrant and glutinous in the mouth.
▍When steaming, use high heat and be sure to cover with a lid or plastic wrap to prevent water vapor from affecting the texture.
▍When stewing in a clay pot, you must use low heat. If even the lowest flame is too high, you can adjust it using the gas valve.
▍Use rock sugar. It will ensure the finished product has a beautiful color.