Hong Shao Rou

Chinese red-cooked pork

Hong shao, or red-cooking, is a popular way to prepare meats in the Shanghai region of eastern China. Simmering in dark soy sauce gives the meat a reddish color and the dish its name. Red-cooked dishes often include a mix of meat and vegetables and are similar to a western stew.

The sauce produced during hong shao cooking is sometimes reserved and used again and again, improving in flavor with each use. Families and restaurants often claim sauces that reach back for generations.

3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

Pork butt, cubed -- 1 1/2 pounds - 625 gram

Gingerroot, thinly sliced -- a 1/2-inch piece

Whole star anise (optional) -- 2

Sugar -- 2 teaspoons

Salt and pepper -- to taste

Stock or water -- 1 cup - 250 ml

Dark soy sauce -- 1/4 cup

Rice wine or sherry (optional) -- 1-2 tablespoons

Method

Add all the ingredients to a large pot or wil and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the meat is very tender.

Adjust seasoning and serve with rice.

Variations

• Add 2 cups of chopped vegetables about 3/4 of the way through the cooking process if you like and continue to simmer until they are cooked through. Possible vegetables: chopped carrots, turnips, daikon, potatoes, onions or scallions.
• The meat can first be blanched in boiling water or seared until browned if you like.
• Try red-cooking a whole, bone-in pork butt. Pork belly is a particular favorite for red-cooking. Or substitute cubed beef, a whole chicken, chicken thighs or wings. Turn whole pieces of meat periodically for even cooking and coloring.
• The meat is sometimes cooled in the sauce then served cold.
• Use rock sugar instead of granulated sugar if you can find it.
• Some cooks use a combination of light and dark soy sauce.
• Substitute 2 teaspoons of 5-spice powder for the star anise if you like.

Notes

To store red-cooking sauce for reuse, freeze the sauce, or refrigerate it and use at least once a week to keep it "alive." Add a little extra water or stock each time to bring it back to the volume called for in the recipe.

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