Soy-braised pork with cranberries
Prep
15 mins
Cook
1 hr 55 mins
Servings
6
Difficulty
Hard
This is one of my favorite weeknight dinners because it comes together so easily once everything goes in the pot. I braise tender pork belly with soy sauce and warm spices, then add tart cranberries for a delightful sweet and savory contrast. The whole thing takes just under two hours, and most of that is hands off cooking time while you can relax. Cranberries are packed with antioxidants, making this indulgent dish surprisingly good for you. Served in fluffy steamed buns with crisp cucumber and fresh herbs, it feels restaurant quality but costs a fraction of the price. This recipe never fails to impress guests while keeping your effort minimal.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 2 tbsprapeseed oil
- 700 gramspork belly(skin on, cut into 2.5cm pieces)
- 2star anise
- 4 clove/sgarlic(finely chopped)
- 15 gramsginger(peeled and finely grated)
- 1 tbsppeppercorns
- 2 tbspdark soy sauce
- 4 tbspsoy sauce
- 2 tbsprice vinegar
- 3 tbspmaple syrup
- 1 pack/scranberries
- 168 gramsjapan menyū steamed buns(packs Japan Menyū Ready to Fill Steamed Buns )
- 1ridge cucumber(shaved into thin ribbons with a peeler)
- 4essential salad onions(salad onions, cut into thin 8cm lengths)
- 25 gramscoriander
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning every few minutes, until browned all over (5-7 minutes). Add the star anise, then the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes then pour in 500ml water and add the peppercorns, soy sauces, rice vinegar and maple syrup. Bring to the boil, add the cranberries, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour-1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender and cooked through, no pink meat remains, and the braising liquid is syrupy and has reduced by ¾.
- 2
Meanwhile, heat the steamed buns according to pack instructions. Transfer the pork to a platter. If there is still a lot of braising liquid, increase the temperature to medium for 10-15 minutes to reduce it, then spoon over the pork. Serve with the steamed buns, cucumber, salad onions and some coriander leaves.
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