Abalone Braised Pork Belly (1000g Version)

Abalone braised pork belly is a premium dish that perfectly combines seafood with traditional Chinese braised pork. The sugar water technique prevents the lean meat from drying out, fermented red tofu juice adds fragrance and cuts the richness, and adding abalone at the end preserves its tender texture.

Ingredients (Serves 3-4)

Main Ingredients

Aromatics

Seasonings

Sugar Water

Braising Liquid

Preparation

1) Treating the Pork Skin (Remove Gaminess, Add Aroma)

1. Use a torch to quickly char the pork skin surface; if no torch available, heat a wok until smoking and rub the skin against it
2. Soak the pork skin-side down in water for about 2 minutes
3. Gently scrape off the charred layer and impurities with a knife, rinse clean

2) Blanching (Keep Whole for Better Results)

1. Keep the pork belly whole, place in cold water with plenty of water
2. Do not add any aromatics during blanching
3. After boiling, let it roll for a moment then turn off heat, remove and rinse with warm water to remove scum
4. Pat dry with paper towels
5. Cut into large pieces (about two fingers wide). The meat will shrink, so cutting larger makes for better presentation

3) Preparing the Abalone (Better Flavor Absorption and Appearance)

1. Remove the black beak and other impurities from the abalone, scrub clean
2. Score the abalone surface: make diagonal cuts about 1/2 deep, not too close together; then cut in the opposite direction to create a crosshatch pattern
3. Set aside

Cooking Steps

1) Pan-Frying the Pork (Render Fat but Don't Overdo It)

1. Spray/brush a very thin layer of oil in the wok to prevent sticking, add pork pieces and stir-fry over high heat until they don't stick
2. Reduce to medium heat, spread the pieces flat to render excess fat, flip frequently
3. After about 3 minutes, when the pieces are lightly golden on all sides, remove

Key Point: Don't fry until too dry, or the lean meat will become tough. Reserve the rendered pork fat for frying aromatics later.

2) Making Sugar Water (Prevents Lean Meat from Drying Out)

1. Add 50g sugar and 5 tbsp water to the wok, spray a tiny bit of oil (prevents splattering, gives better sheen)
2. Heat over medium, gently stir with chopsticks or spatula in small motions, don't stir vigorously
3. When the sugar turns from light yellow to amber and large bubbles appear and pop rapidly, immediately remove from heat; let residual heat continue developing the color
4. When smoke noticeably decreases, add half a bowl of water (hot or cold), return to high heat and cook until sugar fully dissolves - this is your sugar water

Test: The sugar water should have a distinct sweet aroma, not bitter. If bitter, the caramel was overcooked.

3) Frying Aromatics and Building Base Flavor

1. Add pork fat (or a little cooking oil) to the wok, add ginger slices, green onion segments, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon (and dried chili), stir-fry over high heat until fragrant
2. Add the pan-fried pork pieces, stir-fry over high heat to coat evenly with aromatics
3. Pour baijiu along the edge of the wok (2 tbsp), continue stir-frying over high heat until alcohol mostly evaporates
4. Add light soy sauce (4 tbsp), red fermented tofu juice (2 tbsp), salt (~1 level tsp), stir-fry to combine
5. Pour in sugar water, mix well, then add 4 bowls of hot water, bring to a boil over high heat

4) Braising Until Tender (Two Methods)

Pressure Cooker: Transfer meat and liquid to pressure cooker, after reaching pressure reduce to low heat for 20-25 minutes; electric pressure cooker can use "poultry/tender" mode

Regular Pot: Simmer over low heat for about 2.5 hours, monitor water level to prevent burning

5) Return to Wok, Enhance Flavor, Skim Fat

1. After braising, let rest briefly, skim off excess surface fat if desired (for a cleaner taste)
2. Remove ginger, onion, and spice residue (optional but recommended), return meat and liquid to wok
3. Bring to boil over high heat and continue rolling boil for about 5 minutes to further concentrate flavors

6) Add Abalone, Final Braise and Reduce

1. Add prepared abalone, toss to combine
2. Return to boil, cover, reduce to low-medium heat and braise for 15 minutes
3. Uncover, increase to high heat and reduce sauce until thick and glossy, coating the meat
4. Plate and garnish with chopped green onion if desired

Key Details and Quality Standards

Common Questions

Q: Why does my braised pork lean meat turn out tough?

A: Likely fried too long, or caramelized sugar directly with the meat instead of making sugar water first. Fry only until lightly golden, and dilute the caramel with water before braising with the meat.

Q: What if the abalone turns out tough?

A: Abalone toughens with prolonged cooking. Always add it at the final stage and braise for only about 15 minutes.

Q: What can substitute for red fermented tofu juice?

A: A small amount of dark soy sauce can substitute for coloring, but the flavor will differ. The unique fragrance and richness-cutting effect of red fermented tofu juice is hard to fully replicate.