Ingredients
1 bottle red wine
2 cups shaoxing wine, may substitute with 1 cup dry sherry
4 cups thin soy sauce
4 cups of water, make sure to cover pork
12 to 15 pound pork shoulder, bone-in, fat cap on
2 boxes Chinese rock sugar or 2 cups brown sugar
1 large ginger sliced
1 head of garlic, sliced in half
2 bunch scallions
2 star anise
2 Thai bird chilies
2 cinnamon sticks
8 bok choy, halved, cored and cleaned
1/4 cup sambal oelek, as a condiment
Directions
- Put all liquid ingredients and sugar in a tall stockpot and bring to a boil. Add pork and reduce heat. When boiling again, turn down to a simmer and skim off the 'scum'. Add the rest of the remaining ingredients, except cabbage. Taste for seasoning; it should be fairly sweet. If not, add more brown sugar. Remember that the taste of the braising liquid will ultimately be the taste of the pork, so make sure it tastes good! Simmer slowly for 6 to 8 hours, or until pork is very soft. Carefully remove the pork, place it on a large platter and cover with foil to keep hot. Strain the liquid and reduce until a syrupy consistency is achieved, this will take 20 to 30 minutes. In the last 10 minutes of reducing, add the bok choy to cook until soft. Place bok choy around the pork and glaze pork with reduction. Serve with side of sambal oelek.;